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A 
 
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 * 
 
LONE LIFE: 
 
 A YEAR IN THE WILDERNESS 
 
 BT 
 
 PARKER G I L L M O R E, 
 
 Al'TlIOK OP 
 
 1»*'I»RATRIE AND FOBEST," "GUN, ROD, AND SADDLE," "AFLOAT AND ASIIOHF^' 
 ••ALL UOUND THE WOULD," "A HUNTKll'3 ADVENTUUES IN THE 
 '; FAR WEST," "PRAiniE FARMS AND PBAIl^H FOLKS," 
 
 " ACCESSIBLE FIELD SPORTS," &C. 
 
 IN TWO VOLUMES. 
 
 VOL. I. 
 
 LONDON: 
 CHAPMAN AND HALL, 193, PICCADILLY. •« 
 
 1876. * * 
 
r 
 
 \031.&^ 
 
 v.l 
 
 wmioi 
 
 Al 
 
 BlU'KINC 
 
 * . 
 
TO 
 
 EMILY 
 
 I DEDICATE THIS WOUK, 
 wrriiouT WHOM tue remainder of mv existence would 
 
 ^ TRULY BE 
 
 A LONE LIFE. 
 
 Atlantic Clob, 
 
 BlU'KINailAM PALACE ROAD. 
 
 * , 
 
 178169 
 
u 
 
 ^ day, d 
 pool, 
 send 1 
 brand' 
 maind 
 
 strong 
 sessed 
 ther, t 
 enerrre 
 likely i 
 VOL. 
 
 / > 
 
LONE LIFE: 
 
 A YEAR IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 ; 
 
 In the month of October, on a peculiarly English 
 ^ day, dull, raw, damp, and dirty, I set sail from Liver- 
 pool. There was just sufficient swell on the bar to 
 send half the passengers to tlieir bunks, and make 
 brandy and soda in great request among the re- 
 mainder. 
 
 When outside, the timid expressed themselves in 
 strong terms against the utter disregard for life pos- 
 sessed by nautical men, in going to sea in such wea- 
 ther, the objects of their indignation looking rosy, 
 energetic, and far from conscious that they were 
 likely soon to become food for fishes. 
 
 VOL. I. B 
 
LONE life: 
 
 The further we retreated from the shores of OKI 
 Enfi^land the heavier hecame the seas^ and the winds 
 piped up in proportion ; but in spite of a Tripoli being 
 smashed on the coast of Ireland, a City of Boston foun- 
 derin|r in mid ocean, and the Atlantic having knocked 
 herself into a cocked-hat on Nova Scotia, nothing 
 occurred to break the monotony of our voyage, un- 
 less a mania for draw-poker, and a lottery epidemic, 
 both of which were most virulent and general, cold 
 water being the sole application that appeared to act 
 as a mitigator, for it was only while a blue sea 
 was knocking about the furniture in the smoking- 
 room, that any cessation in these maladies became 
 noticeable. 
 
 Some inhabitants of London escaped the sting of 
 the plague, neither was Egypt entirely depopulated 
 by the same disease, so we had on board a few that 
 were not affected by the prevailing disorders. These 
 were generally young men who dreamt of collisions 
 by night and thought of shipwrecks by day, who 
 nearly went off their legs from horror when a weatlier- 
 beaten salt was more forcible than polite in language, 
 or listened with elongated pious face and upturned 
 eyes to the latest and raciest of jokes. 
 
 But in spite of croakers and predictors of evil, 
 Sandy Hook was sighted at sunrise ; in a few hours 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDEKNE88. 
 
 afterwards New York wns gained, and our Trans- 
 atlantic passage was completed within eleven days. 
 
 A bath, change of clothes, and good dinner at Del- 
 monico^s took away my sea-legs, and caused me to feel 
 as free from fatigue as if 1 had not been hubmitted 
 to greater exertion than a stroll down Uegent-street. 
 
 The metropolis of the Western World has been so 
 often described that I will not inflict the reader witli 
 one word upon the subject further than say that it 
 looked none the less busy than in former times, and 
 that the numerous new buildings that had been 
 erected were well worthy to grace any city in the 
 universe. 
 
 My desire is to escape the bustle and din of traffic, 
 to get where the putting of locomotives, and the 
 sonorous yell of the steam whistle has not penetrated 
 — to be surrounded by the works of Nature, not 
 those of man. 
 
 To accomplish this in the most rapid and agreeable 
 manner, I take passage via tlie Hudson River Kail- 
 road to Lewiston by way of Albany, for to the North 
 — the far-distant North, region of lakes and rivers, of 
 boundless woods and barrens, of deep winter snows 
 and nightless days — is my destination. 
 
 When the conveyance deposits me at the train, and 
 the hurry and bustle of securing my ticket and clieck- 
 
 b2 
 
LONE MFK: 
 
 in^ my bapgn^c has passed, I fuel that I have earned 
 the riglit to take notice of the different flights that 
 surround me, foremost among which is an immense 
 board witli the novel information indited upon it, 
 " When you liear the bell look out for the locomo- 
 tive." And scarcely had I commenced to puzzle my 
 brain on this gratuitous hint, than a most discordant 
 din caused me to look forth from my car, when I found 
 out that it was a warning to clear the track and give 
 place to the advance of tlie powerful steam horse. 
 
 For miles wo thread streets bounded on both sides 
 by populous dwellings, still not a rope or ditch sepa- 
 rates the railway from other traffic, yet troops of 
 children on either side play at the various games most 
 in vogue among the rising generation of the Great 
 Kepublic. Doting mothers here, I think, must have 
 an anxious time. Still, I must confess, I did not see 
 any excited females rushing about to look after their 
 progeny. The truth of the matter is simply this : at 
 the age English hopefuls would be in perambulators, 
 or at any event under charge of a nursery-maid, 
 these embryo western citizens are able to take care of 
 themselves. 
 
 By degrees dwellings become less numerous and 1 
 more irregular in style of architecture, and our pace 
 increases to fifteen miles an hour, soon affording us 
 a view of the glorious Hudson River, and of the 
 
A YEAR IN TUB WILDEIINESS. 
 
 rocky wuod-clud hci^rhts that surround it. Of all 
 scnsoiiA of the ycnr this is the ono to sec this locnhty 
 in |K»rfL'(!ti()ii, for although never othoiwisc thnn beau- 
 tiful, it is now indescribahly h>vely, recalling far nioro 
 visions of dreamland than stern reality. As wo ad- 
 vance evorj' bend and turn disclose fresh attractions, 
 till the brain becomes bewildered in its embarrassment 
 of riches. 
 
 Six or seven hours under ordinary circumstances 
 in a train, is certainly monotonous, but in this in- 
 stance it is not so, for the mind has never been with- 
 out food for thought, or the eye objects of admiration. 
 
 At length wc halt opposite to Albany, city of canal- 
 boats and machine shops, and the greater portion of 
 our passengers hurry off to reach the ferry-boat that is 
 waiting to convey them' to its legislative shades, for 
 know this is the capital of the State, and carpet- 
 baggers, button-holers, and place-hunters haunt their 
 friends in office, as mosquitoes would an intruder into 
 a swamp. 
 
 At length newspaper boys, hack men, and hotel 
 touts are got rid of, the deep bass whistle grunts a 
 warning, the bell again commences its measured 
 tinkle, and the train is once more under motion. 
 
 Troy is the next place where a halt takes place ; in 
 size, go-aheadism, and wealth it outshines Albany. To 
 carefully survey the people, and form an estimate of 
 
1 oNr t irtr» 
 
 \\\<>\)\ rn>»n ihoiv nwutniM, mmi \VMnl<' Hml il •lilllcnli 
 1o »looi«lo ul\rllwM- i\\t\ {\\o\\^\\\\ Now VimK rilv mIioiiIiI 
 l>o )Nt>^\i<i of (l\o»n, or ll»ov |M(*ntl of Now York rily. 
 No, (ho rn>jtn\« bnvo no fintitll oflliioulo nl (lioin- 
 
 linooil 
 
 woino wol 
 
 i««»lvt^"«, jn\»l n\ Ihon- Inno MfiV(» prot 
 Known o]\iu't\otor««. llootwn\, iho pri/o li^hlor, Imiloil 
 f\\Mn IwMv, in\«l i(«« yonlh «»f ll\o proqonl jronornllon 
 tnko rts n\n«"l\ ii\lon's( in llu» iVjilonnlv, »•' lln> olo^r 
 l>tv>1o»l nrt(i\o«« of OMl\:\n> woiiM in n Kii'Kinu niith'li 
 
 Nvnoiv ono ol ll\o ooivlostunn wos t« wlnm^riM', anil worn 
 on Inn oN(\vn\itios |>\»\npi. To d nnll\o of Hh» «Mly of 
 Nt»>v VovK, .\lU:\ny i\\\\\ Tnn ino " ono-liorso pliu'ow," 
 in tl\o\r ow»\ opinion \]\v\ iwv "n fo»n* in hnnd, niul 
 
 not) 
 
 \n>jT loss 
 
 ;V,o;\in ll\o tinKlp linKl* of (ho holl (oIIm (ho honr 
 fov»lo]^'»v(nn\ ;\nvl (InMnnn ooninuMuvs (o niovo ; »(ill 
 Xhc \>n*tlo ;\n<i oonfnsion »loos no( oomio, for now 
 nmvnls n\v M\\\ sookin^:; i\>r so.Us, nn«l frion«ls luihlin^r 
 n^liou .-wv lo(h (»> ]>;ir(, hn( o\n* spood oondnnoM |o 
 inoivaso. (l\c l;\s( nu>nuM\( (\>r (lisiMnharkudon Imji 
 ji\Tivi\l. nnvl in spi(o of tho prol>Mh\li(ioM of hrokon 
 lo^ A\u\ ho:vls, all tho non-travollors <lisonihnrk 
 siifolv. at loast 1 du\ not hoar of anv oa^naltio.s. 
 
 Aftor loaviniT Tiw, tho llndson is orossoil. still u 
 griind rivor, although a lunulrod and (ifty miles from 
 its mouth, and our courie takes us through a lovely 
 
A irr;AU im 'imd \vi\,utf.\wf.m. 
 
 «'(nuiliy, liviilliii^ in H«'«MM'iy JIim HiMiiiy Nlo|M'^ ntui 
 
 TIm'Ii flii» Molinvvk Ilivi'C l«i r>Mi»lii»«|, fui'l for friil*»i 
 wo rolniii it in viow. h*i v)iri>w| |ifiril<M, dMrk jiooh, 
 iiiiininiriii^r iiipidt, poqnonM irirniy iittrd'-linrin, niid not 
 
 (llM l«MlNt MMIMII^f ♦Im'MI llMill^iJ til" lllfifly, fllMiri, IH^tli 
 
 fiirm liMUflrM »«vprywli«'io (o Im» Hi»»'n, «»MiliM|i; forfli frorn 
 InMiiiriiii orrlinid or Itiii'lvvotwl ^mov. |{iit, iIim iron 
 li(»r.qcM|M«»fl iiol, lin^ror, fiinl fn»«li «t'»'n«»q (»r««ont fliorn- 
 wplvofl, Hm« siiiTfi'M* of lliM conntry iMwornln/f rnorii 
 lovrl, llio cnllivMlion tnorn llioroii|/;li, fill a vitni tlminrl 
 in ontoipii, wliicli lor ^nUn\\. nrwl rrnitfiilnoq.q it, wooM 
 Ik» ili'llrnil. in rm<l n, rivni. No oriM <Mfi «lonl»t tliftt 
 wiicli iw ilin ruqf^ who n«;»!« liiq fii/rlif, for liMfi'l«otn« 
 <lw('llin/^r liouwn.q, iinni«'nH«^ l»(iiri«j,| w»ll fliofk'vl «tnrk- 
 yanjq, nro n»«vnr oul. (»!' vinw, wIiIIm i\r(tvi'.n <;f wfdl- 
 fod, iiyo, (unl woil-linMl ciiitlo, feed on ovnry pasture 
 |}(d(l and tniMidow. 
 
 A liundrrd yviirn n^o tlilfl waq a wilrh^rnf^Rq. Th« 
 jiriuinval rorcHialoiu' trnant,<',(| ilif. land, and tlic f»«ajit» 
 of Ui« cIuiNC, wiili tin? oxc(5j»t,ion of a f<;w R<:att^;n;d 
 triluis of Indian.M, wiiro tim hoK* animal life it ruj>- 
 jmrtcd. Wliat Ixitlcr pnxif of ilm indnRtry and 
 energy of a great and free ])e,oj»lc ean we desire, 
 than such a wondcjrful transformation a« has been 
 hero effected T 
 
8 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 Ai daylight fades away, moonlight takes its place ; 
 and such a moon I none of your washy crescent-shaped 
 nondescripts, but almost a rival in size and power to 
 the sun. 
 
 Not that America possesses another ot a better 
 moon than we do, yet there are times in which she 
 show5 to greater advantage on the Western Continent 
 than ever I have known her in England. 
 
 The change of light docs not prevent a good view 
 of the country being obtained, for when Cayuga and 
 Geneva lakes are passed, the distant boats, and more 
 distant villas, can easily be distinguished. 
 
 Travelling to me at night always appears more 
 expeditious tlian by day. So when the crowd of 
 baggage men and hotel touts crowd on board the 
 cars before reaching the city of Rochester, I wonder 
 how it is possible that the train has run so far. 
 
 But if for a moment I imagine some mistake has 
 been made, that it is another town we are approach- 
 ing, the deep dark abyss of the Genesse Falls, the 
 towering flour mills, and the size of the station, set 
 the matter at rest for ever. 
 
 Here I change carriages, Lewiston on Lake Ontario 
 being my destination, for those I have come thus 
 far in are bound for Buffalo. 
 
 After granting sufficient grace to enable me to 
 
A YEAR IN TUE WILDERNESS. 
 
 scald myself with a cup of coffee, the warning bell 
 commences to tinkle, and disgusted with its mono- 
 tonous tin-pot note, for I had not taken a liking to 
 it from the commencement, I scramble into a seat, 
 not without having to use considerable energy and 
 force, for like myself many others had delayed ta 
 the last moment, and had no more idea of being left 
 behind than your humble servant. All is said to be 
 fair in love and war ; I imagine that it is deemed 
 so in trying to get into a train in America, after it 
 has ffot under wav. 
 
 After leaving Rochester the country is none the 
 less rich than heretofore, wheat being the staple pro- 
 duction, while fruit is cultivated to a great extent ; 
 in fact, the apples from this district cannot be sur- 
 passed, and are a large source of revenue to the 
 farmer. The moon is still high in the heavens, so I 
 can see for miles. The ridge in the distance is the 
 commencement of elevated spurs, denominated the 
 Bear liidges, for at one time the bruin family were so 
 numerous on them, that they constituted a large por- 
 tion of the early settlers' food ; but, alas ! they have 
 ceased to know what was once their home, and the 
 only return the sportsman would find for his labour, 
 who tramped over these wood-clad plateaus, would 
 be abundance of ^voodcock, who, strange to say, 
 
10 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 have only discovered this favourite feeding ground 
 within a few years. 
 
 Lockport is next reached, well meriting the name) 
 for its locks are deserving of the greatest admiration' 
 they being not only large, but admirably constructed. 
 Their elevation and number I cannot say, still both 
 are very great. Many years ago I resided near this 
 thriving place of business ; then it was only a vil- 
 lage, and land was to be purchased within a few 
 miles of its |.recincts for fifteen dollars an acre. 
 After making the American coin into pounds sterling, 
 I doubt if a square foot could now be bought be- 
 tween the canal and Lake Ontario. 
 
 On leaving the last-mentioned station, farm-yards, 
 orchards, and woodlands are passed in pleasant suc- 
 cession, and ultimately the train slowly enters 
 Lewiston, the termination of the first part of my 
 journey, a pretty town situated upon the banks of 
 the Niagara River, where it mingles its waters with 
 blue Ontario. The dinner gong had sounded before 
 I left my bedroom, for being constructed in pretty 
 much the same mould as other mortals, I was sensible 
 of the fatigue of yesterday's journey ; however, the 
 delay till next morning, when I should catch the 
 steamer for Toronto, was of little moment, so I killed 
 the enemy, time, by wandering about the fort and 
 bastions that once had possessed no small amount of 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 n 
 
 i 
 
 .1 
 .1 
 
 1 
 
 importance. Like all garrison towns, there is an 
 aristocratic tone about, id est, if the military element 
 is not overdone, but only sufficient of it to give the 
 slightest spice to society — for like garlic in cooking, 
 admirable when not abused, the reverse when over- 
 done. 
 
 The life of the officers of the United States regular 
 service stationed here, I should think much resembled 
 what it used to be in Great Britain in the good old 
 days of four company depots, before rifle drill, 
 scaling drill, depot battalions, and ever so many more 
 devices were invented by a lot of feather-bed, bad- 
 tempered, stay-at-home, theoretical and not practical 
 old fools, for the worry and annoyance of those whose 
 value in the field in case of war was without 
 price. 
 
 Before me, as I write, looking back into the log- 
 book of memory, I can see a General who never 
 saw a shot fired in his life except at a review, 
 bullying to death an old subaltern, whose brow was 
 tanned with years of service on the plains of India, 
 whose stalwart figure bore many a scar, and whose 
 heart beat under numerous medals — because whyt 
 he had made a mistake in his addition, and forgot 
 the weight of a bayonet. As long as the door of the 
 Horse Guards is open to sycophants and the rela- 
 tives of politicians, whose influence has to be bought 
 
12 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 ! I 
 
 over, such tliln«:js will exist, and thus we lose year by 
 year men, one of whom would bo of more use to 
 the country than a brigade of the others. 
 
 In due time the steam-boat for Toronto sailed. 
 Ontario was on her good behaviour, and looked as 
 blue and calm as the Bay of Naples in midsummer, 
 when not a breath of air moves with sufficient force 
 to swell the lateen-rigged crafts that sleep upon its 
 placid bosom. A few hours and our destination is 
 reached. Ciianged from when I last saw it, yes, changed 
 indeed, for dwellings and structures have i i v n where 
 formerly nothing but waste common could be seen. 
 
 The old hotel, its name now forgotten, had given 
 place to a structure worthy of • ny capital, but the 
 change is acceptable, for the promise of creature 
 comfort is greater than in days gone by, and while 
 within the pale of civilisation, there are few fonder 
 of luxury than self. 
 
 The difference between cities of the United States 
 and Canada is very conspicuous, although botli 
 adopt the same styles of architecture ; from this rea- 
 son it is difficult to describe — the nearest simile that 
 strikes me at the moment being, the former repre- 
 sents the strong man under the flush of a stimulant, 
 the latter the same person under the effects of a 
 powerful opiate. 
 
 Citizens of the Dominion may feel indignant at 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 13 
 
 what I havo said ; my answer is, that I do not sco 
 throiigli the eyes of an untravelled fellow-citizon, but 
 through those of a cosmopolitan. 
 
 Judging from tlio appearance of the principal 
 streets at tlie fashionable hours of the afternoon, 
 there was no scarcity of well-to-do, well-dressed, 
 educated peojde ; hut if I am not mistaken society 
 here is cut up into cliques, ever the bugbear of plea- 
 sant rdujitons, but whore you have professionals and 
 government emjtlot/i'sy a largely represented mer- 
 cantile community unless possessed of unbounded 
 means and lavish in their hospitality, are certain to 
 be looked down upon by that high class of society 
 who serve their country for nominal salaries, which, 
 however, I have never known them neglect to draw — 
 possibly to give away in charity. 
 
 As I was going into a handsome shop I ran against 
 a straight-haired, clean-shaved, smug, well-fed look- 
 ing man, with a length of skirt to his coat almost 
 rivalling an " Ulster ;" he wore a "wliite neck-tie, and 
 I observed that the buttons on his outer garment were 
 concentrated in a very close single file down the front. 
 The fault was not mine, for I had my eyes straight 
 to my front ; he, on the other hand, Avas a])proacliing 
 the door, althongli his head was turned on one side 
 to give a parting word of instruction to the shopman. 
 Both beino; tolcrablv broad and stout we collided: 
 
14 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 1; 
 
 not that any injury was done, for the prominent por- 
 tions of both were soft — very soft, I should say. Of 
 course I raised my hat and murmured a word of 
 apology, expecting a return of the courtesy. How- 
 ever, I was deceived in this nice-looking man — ap- 
 pearances, we all know, are deceptive — for with 
 rather a knock-me-down air he gruffly exclaimed, 
 " Can't you look where you're going, sir t" If I were 
 not a most peaceable person, I believe I should have 
 answered him in his own coin or trod on his toes. Out 
 of curiosity I asked from the shopman this polite gen- 
 tleman's name and profession. I fear he must have 
 made a mistake, or thought I alluded to some one else, 
 for he said, " That is" — well it is better to leave out the 
 name — " a high dignitary of the Church." We have 
 had jovial Father Tom Maguire, of coursing cele- 
 brity, also many a parson who could ride across 
 country or whip a salmon river with all competitors, 
 aye, and preach on Sunday a good orthodox sermon 
 beside, but I never met a teacher of humility with 
 less of the quality in his eye or bearing than this 
 Dominion example of lowness of heart and humble- 
 ness of spirit. In every fold it is said that a black 
 sheep exists, and this was doubtless that one; but 
 why in earth, when the matter is so easy, don't it get 
 weeded out t 
 
A TEAR IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 16 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 The Queen's Hotel, my temporary head-quarters, 
 was clean and comfortable, without being extrava- 
 gant. The landlord was a most pleasant, agreeable, 
 well-educated person, while his sister, the house- 
 keeper, was a pattern that any in lier walk of life 
 would have done well to take for an example. In 
 Toronto I remained several days, for here I intended 
 laying in my principal supplies, both for consumption 
 and trade with such Indians I might be thrown in 
 contact. 
 
 In selecting my stock I was materially assisted by 
 a gentleman to whom I had brought a letter of in- 
 troduction, for, having been long in the fur trade, he 
 was thoroughly conversant with what were the re- 
 quirements of life beyond civilisation. 
 
 However, I must not neglect one purchase I have 
 made, namely, a terrier. I was turning the comer 
 
16 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 of You^ig street when a lad passed me witli a do^ 
 for sale. I gave tlio animal a carefnl look over, and 
 I was so pleased with it that I determined to bo- 
 come a buyer. For ten dollars it became mine, and 
 when I afterwards, at the hotel, had a more careful 
 and thorough examination of my new accjuisition, 
 I camo to the conclusion that I had obtained a trea- 
 sure. The lad, who had come thus far to deliver 
 over safely my property and to give me a receipt for 
 the money ho received, in answer to my inquiry whe- 
 ther the terrier would kill rats, responded, " Yes, and 
 wood-chucks too, and they aro plaguey tough to 
 handle." The last portion of his sentence he need 
 not have added, for well I knew that it was but the 
 gamest of dogs, especially of such diminutive size, 
 that were able successfully to cope with this mar- 
 mot. 
 
 " But the name," continued I. 
 
 '^ Only Skye, sir." 
 
 " He isn't one of Captain M.'s breed ?" A race of 
 the purest Skye terriers, imported originally by the 
 old gentleman from his own estate in that island. 
 
 " 'Deed he is ; although father has owned the stock 
 for some time now, he got the breed first from the 
 captain's." 
 
 If my informant spoke the truth, I had really 
 
A YEAIl IX Tlin WILPEUNESS. 
 
 17 
 
 ^ot ti prize, and when I looked at my new ac<[iii- 
 sition, there was not a single point that wonld denote 
 liiin not to ))0 of the pnre strain. And well I knew 
 them, for in tlio old eaptain's society many years 
 i;one by, I had seen one of this very raee, in less 
 than a quarter of an honr, althontrh ent and slashed 
 across the legs and chest, draw three foxes from the 
 samo earth. 
 
 At length I was ready for the start — my haggago 
 I liad i»acked up and forwarded to Oriilia by the 
 Ontario, Simcoe, and Huron Kailroad, while I de- 
 tennined to do the first thirty-five miles of my 
 road on foot, for many years ago I had tramped it, 
 and wished again to have a look at scenes familiar to 
 my sight in the days of my youth. 
 
 Of all long uninteresting roads, Young-street is 
 
 possibly the most so, for front the time it leaves the 
 
 shores of Lake Ontario, till it has advanced over 
 
 twenty miles inland, it is w itliout a turn, the houses 
 
 I edging it in the lower portion far from attractive, 
 
 [with a want of trees most noticeable. Seventeen 
 
 pnlles from Toronto, Richmond Hill is gained — a 
 
 |)rosi)erous little place and a great improvement upon 
 
 the part of the road traversed; but it is a long and 
 
 steep climb to reach it. However, its position is 
 
 ^vorthy of notice, for the ridge on the summit of 
 
 VOL. I. 
 
la 
 
 LOUE LIFE: 
 
 ill 
 
 >vliich it HtandH is a wntrrshcd, streams rlMin^on cither 
 •ido of wliieh How in reverse direetions, the northern 
 hrooks trnvfllin^ thousands of miles before they reach 
 the hike, that the soutliern onesi ^ain in twenty. 
 In cxphmation of tliis, a watercourse rising at Uich- 
 inond Hill and flowing duo south, would reach Lake 
 Ontario before it had travelled more than eighteen 
 miles, while a similar stream rising at neighbouring 
 springs, from the dij) of the land would have its 
 current directed north ; in the course of time it would 
 enter Holland River, from there into Lake Simcoe, 
 hence through the narrows into Luke Couchachin — 
 then by the Severn into Georgian Bay, a portion of 
 Lake Huron, the waters from which flow through 
 Lake St. Clair, Lake Erie, and the Niagara River, 
 before entering Ontario. Thus we see that the rise 
 or depression of a foot of ground may sever thou- 
 sands of miles streams which had their origin within 
 a few yards of each other. Do not matters often as 
 trivial sever lives for ever ? 
 
 At a roadside tavern at Richmond Hill, I dined at 
 a famous ordinary ; the other guests were lusty, pros- 
 perous-looking representatives of their class, owing 
 either to Scotland or Ireland their nativity. 
 
 It was soon apparent to me that I was regarded 
 with inquisitive if not suspicious glances, and although i 
 
 I'll 
 
A YEAR IN TlII^ WILDKRNESS, 
 
 10 
 
 ficvoral attempts were nimlo during the mcnl to draw 
 mo into convorsntion, 1 courteously declined tlio 
 honour. 
 
 After dinner toddy or punch was ordered, the dif- 
 ferent names being used according to the country 
 that had ^iven tlie thirsty soul birth. Canadians T 
 knew were accredited with beinrr :il)lo to take a fair 
 ijuantity of ardent spirits, but these farmerH couM 
 do more, and as their demands were gratified, politics 
 were discussed with additional vehotnence. 
 
 As I had plenty of time, I rested and enjoyed my 
 pipe, yes, and toddy too, for I was much interestetl in 
 the conversation. At length a shrewd-looking old 
 Scot, looking keenly at me, and expressing himself 
 in very measured terms, said : *' Weel, sir, you look 
 a man o' education and a traveller, will you no agree 
 
 with mo that Mr. Mac will make a better member 
 
 than that ranting blethering chap Mr. O' ?" At 
 
 tlio termination of this in([uiry several voices were 
 raised together to dilate on the claims of the candidate 
 of whom the O.' faction was in favour. But the 
 old Scot again got the floor, and with the same ear- 
 nestness of manner repeated the question previously 
 asked — adding in parenthesis to the others : " We 
 ken what we think, but we'd a' like to ken what the 
 stranger thinks." So silence was established and all 
 
 C2 
 
20 
 
 LONE LIFE; 
 
 looked forward as if anxious to hear \\\y scntiiiunits, 
 l^o I found it iucuudxMit on nie to say sonietliinf^ — 
 >vl\icii 1 did in wrv nearly these ^vor(ls : 
 
 "Gentlemen, 1 know n(>tliin<; about the matter, 
 so must deeline to e>.i)ress an ()j)inion one "svay or 
 the other." 
 
 " Weel, there's mair caution about you than folks 
 wouUl <j;ie you credit for from your looks/' said the 
 old Scot. 
 
 " Nor devil the bit do his looks belie him ; it's the 
 pluck that's -wanting in him,'' exclaims a re«j;ular 
 broth of a boy. 
 
 ft 
 
 " Well, you're the last should find fault with him," 
 said a ferret-faced looking Lowlander, ^vho kept his 
 eyes on me though a<ldrcssing the last speaker ; " I'll 
 bet vou classes round he's a Fenian." 
 
 »/ ID 
 
 "•'And what if he is, more })ower to his elbow," ex- 
 claimed a good-looking Irish lad who previously had 
 not spoken. 
 
 " Likelier far that he be an Informer," shoutQd the 
 first Patlander. 
 
 So the clamour rose to boiling point. Neither 
 faction would have me accredited to them at any 
 price ; glasses were smashed upon the table, and 
 sticks wheeled about, eyery indication of a free fight 
 commenced, in which I knew I should be between 
 
A YEAR IN Tin: WILDERNESS. 
 
 21 
 
 its. 
 
 ter, 
 or 
 
 )lks 
 the 
 
 , the 
 uUir 
 
 i 
 
 1' 
 
 t his 
 Til 
 
 ' cx- 
 
 had i 
 
 ll the 
 
 lither 
 any 
 and 
 Ifight 
 keen 
 
 two fires, Ijotli willinrr to Iinnioljite me to their pas- 
 sions ; sol watclied my elianee, ^'ot an o])j)ortunity, 
 slipped out tliron<^di tlie door, paid my reckoning, and 
 continued my tramj). 
 
 I luid no'.v «;ot into a neiLflil)ourlioo(l that oncrj I 
 knew well, so sauntered on sh)wly, picking out from 
 the nnmherof new erections that hadspruu;^u[), houses 
 tliat liad once been occu|)ied hy old acfpiaintances. I 
 was possibly about an hour thus engaged when the 
 sound of approaching wlieels caused me to turn round. 
 A thick, well - fed, cob-like horse, clrawiiuf a liiiht 
 market waggon, on the seat of which was j)erched 
 the driver, muflled up in such numerous wra})s and 
 coats as to cause him to look as broad as lonir, and 
 evidently afl'ected with more stinndant than he could 
 carry stifflv, was close at hand. When abreast of 
 me the Jehu shouted, " AVo there, canna ye hear, lass, 
 wo!" and the mare stopped, and I recognised my 
 Scotch acrpiaintance of the tavern. 
 
 Steadying himself, he commenced: "Weel, sir, al- 
 though it's i.ic that says it, ye did uncu good service 
 to you're ain sel', to get ahint the door, down at the 
 public, for though I say it mysel' I'd ha gied ye as 
 bonny a rap over the head wi' my staff, as ye most 
 ever had in your time. I dinna ken now whither 
 I'm doing rigi;t to the laws and country no to tak' 
 
22 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 
 
 you up for a revoliitloniirisliig PV^niun," but several 
 hiccups [)revcntc(l liiiii adding more. 
 
 Answering;, I incjuired, " Ou whose authority he 
 called me a Fenian?" 
 
 " On tlie authority of" — hiccup — hiccup — '' of 
 every one." 
 
 ^' Well, you may tell every one from me, that 
 they are a ])iick of fools. Good-day, good-day, sir," 
 and I hurried on. 
 
 But the old fellow would not be left behind, but 
 continueil to denounce me as a Fenian, and I really 
 commenced to fear that if strangers coming along 
 heard him, they might imagine that there was suf- 
 ficient trutli in his statement to cause me serious 
 hindrance. 
 
 So stopjnng and turning towards my persecutor, 
 with less energy and more softness of voice I in- 
 formed him that I should sleep at the hotel at Bond 
 Head Lake, where I should probably arrive in an hour, 
 when I would satisfy his curiosity, and prove to his 
 satisfaction that I was not a Fenian. 
 
 But this old fellow would not be put off ; every 
 second word he declared I had no intention of going 
 to Bond Head Lake, and that if he didn't arrest me 
 then and there, he would not be doing his duty to his 
 country, for he was a loyal subject, and his father 
 
 was a 
 
 before 
 
 1 wr 
 
 road, V 
 
 presenl 
 
 nei«!:hb 
 
 suit of 
 
 'Tm r 
 
 look at 
 
 Glasgow 
 
 The 
 dulous ; 
 " I mau 
 you say 
 cles,'ult 
 then he 
 matcly i 
 the who 
 I out his 
 I wavthrc 
 j he went 
 waggon, 
 soon rcf 
 till he n( 
 At le: 
 veyance. 
 
 I 
 
 iljil 
 
A TEAR IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 23 
 
 was a loyal subject, aiitl how many more generations 
 before them I forget. 
 
 I was nearly climbing the fence and leaving the 
 road, wlien I thought better to satisfy him, for in his 
 present drunken state he might go and alarm the 
 neighbourhood, and have them turn out in pur- 
 suit of me. So stepping close up to him, I said, 
 "I'm no Fenian, I ni a Scotchman, like yourself; 
 look at the post-marks on these letters, Edinburgh, 
 Glasgow, Greenock, and read this one." 
 
 The old man looked astonished, certainly incre- 
 dulous; laying the reins ovor the splash-board he said, 
 " I maun iind my specs before I believe a word of what 
 you say." So he searched every pocket for his specta- 
 cles,' ultimately finding them in the most unlikely one, 
 then he slowdy deciphered the post-marks, and ulti- 
 mately read a few words of the letter, then closed it, 
 the whole nature of his manner changing. Shovini:!: 
 out his hand with much energy, he had got half- 
 way through the sentence, '^ Gie me your neuf," when 
 he went out headforemost over the front wheel of the 
 waggon. However, he was a hardy old fellow, and 
 soon regained his limbs, wdien he shook my hand 
 till he nearly dislocated my arm. 
 
 At length I got him up on his seat in the con- 
 veyance, no easy job I can assure you, and would 
 
 I 
 
24 
 
 LONE LIFE : 
 
 !ll' 
 
 III 
 
 ili'i 
 
 liave boon much more troublesome if the sensible old 
 marc did not appear to have become used to her 
 master s peculiarities. 
 
 " Now jest lowp in," said my new chum, when he 
 felt himself comfortably seated. " We'll jest gan^ 
 back to Richmond Hill, and we'll ca' at Sam 
 McClauclin's, whar we'll hae a wee drapi)ie, when 
 we'll gang across to the tavern and gie them Irish, 
 the d — dest lambasting for insulting a gentleman 
 like you by calling him a Fenian." 
 
 At length my new acquaintance departed, and 1 
 w^as sincerely congratulating myself on it, when he 
 again stopped the marc and shouted at the top of his 
 voice : 
 
 ** Did na you say you were going to sleep at Bond 
 Head Tavern ? I'll gang on and tell them you're 
 coming, and wait for you mysel', for we maun liae a 
 drap thegither." 
 
 Where I was left to ni}^ own thoughts, was about 
 three miles beyond Richmond Hill, the very vicinity 
 that I wished to pay particular attention to, for close 
 by stands a house in which I have received ne\er- 
 forgotten kindnesses, and for a Canadian dwelling has 
 more of the English, or rather Scotch country gentle- 
 man's residence about it than any other I have here 
 visited. 
 
 Walking quietly up the long approach, familiarly 
 
 i 
 
 "1 
 
 I 
 
 i 
 
A YKAn IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 25 
 
 designated tlio avenue in old times, I made a detour 
 so as to avoid ])ein£X seen bv tlie residents, for siieli a 
 lenf^tli of time liad r)assed that it was verv inutro- 
 balde any I knew now remained. l\\ tliis I was suc- 
 cessful, for the onlv sound that broke the solitude was 
 the baying of a deep-voiced hound. 
 
 Turning down a ])at]i I bad once known so well, 
 and after passing a short distance through a margin 
 of pines — remnants spared from the original forest — 
 I stood upon the lovely little lake, in which I had 
 fished day after day, capturing in goodly numbers 
 the gamest of all fresh-water fish for their size, black 
 bass. I felt I was an intruder, t'ierefore did not 
 like to peer too far, so satisfied myself by looking at 
 what used to be the landing-place, to sec if the neat 
 gig, or a successor, lay there as of old. No boat was 
 to be seen, and from that circ\unstance I felt great 
 changes had taken place in this once happy and con- 
 tented home, for in days gone by, the head of the 
 house, with either sons or daughters for oarsmen, used 
 regularly to have his hour or two fishing previous to 
 sunset. Yes, and I have often pulled bow with a fair- 
 haired, tall, handsome daughter of the Highland laird 
 pulling stroke, and I can well remember how all my 
 thought would i2;et concentrated in the lonf; and sunlit 
 locks that, disenrrarred from their fasteninn;s bv the 
 exertion, would sway to and fro under my gaze. 
 
2G 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 But It was getting rapidly towards nl^lit, so I stole 
 away, fi^urini^ up remembrauccs of a wide flap hat 
 and scarlet ribbon around it, with a sweet expressive 
 face beneath, possessed of such soft wiiniin*^ eyes as 
 nii^lit well have caused liavoc with the heart of the 
 chief of Ulva's Island, and make him prefer the 
 olianee of a watery ^ravc to bein<^ deprived of his 
 lovely stolen bride. 
 
 Brilliant red clouds hung over the dark pines that 
 hid the setting sun, when I arrived at Bond Head 
 Lake. Tiie host had evidently been prepared for 
 my coming, for his attention was greater than could 
 possibly be expected to be subtended to a travel- 
 stained, dusty, plainly-habited traveller, so I was 
 shown to the best bedroom, a girl far too well 
 dressed for servant ordered promptly to fetch me 
 liot water, and otherwise attend on the gentleman's 
 wants. When left to mvself I took a look at the 
 little lake across the road In front of the house. As 
 I had last seen It, It lay calm and silent, with the 
 heavy shadows of many a forest tree glancing on its 
 bosom, while the reflection of the giant full hunter's 
 moon upon its surface tipped the slightest ripple — 
 even the plash made by some tame ducks — with 
 molten silver. 
 
 On descending from my dormitory to the coffee- 
 
 room, 1 
 was cer 
 fore I s 
 ance ho 
 too swe 
 I might 
 had bei 
 duced, 
 of it h; 
 1 assent 
 acquain 
 from tl 
 doubtle 
 Aftei 
 room, w 
 the bot' 
 thick ii 
 Again r 
 only mt 
 " whom 
 commoi 
 would 1 
 and but 
 o' him. 
 he was 
 hae use 
 
 l!!ll!!llli!! 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 27 
 
 room, I met my friend of the wat^^on and mure; lie 
 was certainly more upright in his walk, and there- 
 fore I su[)posc more sober. Expeetint; my ap})ear- 
 ance he liad brewed a whisky toddy, stron*:;, hot, not 
 too sweet, and just aware of the presenec of lemon. 
 I mif^ht have refused to take anything to drink if I 
 had been asked the (piestion j)revious to it being pro- 
 duced, but now that it was concocted and the brewer 
 of it had exercised so much skill in its manufacture, 
 1 assented, and wc hob-nobbed right merrily. My 
 acquaintance was evidently well-known liere, and 
 from the lavish manner he threw about his silver, 
 doubtless a very po])ular guest. 
 
 After my chop we adjourned to the smoking- 
 room, where were two or three other guests, when 
 the bottle circulated, and the old Scot soon became 
 thick in liis speech and dictatorial in his language. 
 Again and again he told the story of Kichmond Hill, 
 only making this alteration, that Jock McFarlane, 
 " whom ye all ken, and what's mair, think sa un- 
 common smart, but he's na that, and Tarn Wilson 
 would hae it that this braw Scotsman was a Fenian, 
 and but for my ninsel' they might hae been the death 
 o' him. And a wheen o' ranting Irishmen thought 
 he was an informer, and but for me they would na 
 hae used very kindly neither." 
 
 'vS? 
 
28 
 
 LONE LIFE : 
 
 III his present fiK Idled stjito T linve not tlu; sliVlitcst 
 doubt that hu seriously bclieviMl ho was speaking the 
 veritablci truth ; but when he went on lo sav, that 
 " he keiit nie from the vara fh'st look, tho' he had na 
 been muckle o' a traveller; but he was doni'd that 
 any man who would tak' nie for a Fenian must bo a 
 fule, and for a' vo like to believe that carl Jock 
 McFarlane did, and yo a' thlidv him a smart man." 
 
 " Well, not as sma''t as you are, uncle," said one 
 of tho stranii;ors. 
 
 " Na, na, ye may say tliat," replied the old man. 
 
 " For I remember, now," continued tho first speaker, 
 *' it's not more than two years since, come next Can- 
 dlemas, that you sold Jock that bit of a pony for one 
 hundred and ten dollars, that wasn't worth fivc-and- 
 twenty. Yes, uncle, you're smarter than Jock 
 McFarlane, altho' lie's pretty hard to get the best of." 
 
 ^* You're jist right," responded the old man, then 
 laughing out aloud, "that's a fac', jist two years 
 sine. Weel a weel, I did get the best o' him, 
 and I ne'er thought as muckle o' ony money e'er 
 I aimed," and turning to me with a broad smile on 
 his face he continued, " It wad na bo quite the thing 
 to do amang strangers, but Jock and me are auld, 
 auld friends, and we are baith in Canada." 
 
 " Save me from my friends" I had often heard, 
 
A yi:ar in the witdehnkss. 
 
 29 
 
 but never knew an Instance to Avlilcli it was more 
 aj)i)ru'al)lo than tlie i)resent. Canadian liorsc jockeys 
 ^et the repntation of hein<^, as tli(! Yankees say, 
 " (kirn'cl 'entc,'' and from the oM man's idea, the 
 customs of tlie land encouram'd it. 
 
 As I retired to rest I lieard this di'v-throated ohl 
 Gael «Iuging for ahout tlic tenth time, " Gcordio 
 brewed a peck o' malt." I knew from what I had 
 witnessed that he only commenced tlu; stave when ho 
 thought it time to make a Iresh brewin/i;. 
 
 At breakfast I met him aj^aln ; not a })artlele did 
 he seem to snffer from his lieavy potations of the 
 previous evening — connnencing the day with a lialr 
 of the docp that bit him, under the name of a wee 
 (Irappy o' bitters. 
 
 Holland Landing was my destination, Newmarket 
 my acquaintances, so he i^ave me a lift for some miles ; 
 but the parting came, and it was no easy one, for the 
 hospitable old fellow had made up his mind to take 
 me to his home, where the house and all that was in 
 it was at my service as long as I chose to stay. The 
 last I heard of him was, " Hoots, lassie, pit your best 
 foot for'ard," and the mare rattled off at a twelve 
 mile an hour calt down the rockv inclined road. 
 
30 
 
 LONE LIFE : 
 
 CHAPTER TIL 
 
 The sccMieiy from Hond Head to tlic vicinity of 
 Holland Landing is not only pretty, but excellent 
 arable land. A few years ago any quantity of it could 
 liavebeen bought for a very small price, now it would 
 take a large purse to buy a respectable-sized home- 
 stead. It used to be a grand i)lacc to shoot deer, 
 but clearing u]) the woodlands has doubtless driven 
 all that class of game off, if any were spared to go. 
 
 Soon I heave in sight of the long flat marsh that 
 margins Holland River; for miles it stretches uninter- 
 ruptedly on either side, and visions come back of the 
 bags of wild duck and baskets of muscalonge I 
 have taken upon its stagnant bosom. On reaching 
 the wharf I find no steam-boat sails that day, so as 
 I have plenty of time and a sandwich in my pocket, I 
 turn off on one side to visit a grove where I have 
 often encamped in days gone by when deer hunting. 
 
 After a 
 proved 
 Indians, 
 tribe. 1 
 to this 
 of whis 
 Try in < 
 I did n 
 Brad for 
 country, 
 for the 1 
 
 The r 
 and Oril 
 from su 
 portancc 
 air that 
 
 There 
 men in 
 just reti 
 dcer-sho 
 into a qi 
 
 This 
 my own, 
 They ha 
 sters we 
 ones agn 
 
A YEAR i:r Tiin wiLPEUNrsg. 
 
 81 
 
 After a search I dlseover it, its appearance not Ini- 
 provcil by the occu|)ants, a very dirty family of 
 Indians, a remnant of tlio onco powerful (^liippcwa 
 tribe. They are truly a wretched-looking lot, reduceil 
 to this stji^e] of misery by their un(pu'nehal)Ie lovo 
 of whisky and intercourse with the white man. 
 Trj'ing to discover a familiar face amon^ them, which 
 I did not succeed in, 1 turiu'd my steps towards 
 Bradford, and soon found the old-fashioned, for this 
 country, comfortable inn, where I resolve to lay over 
 for the nifrht. 
 
 The railroad from Toronto on its way to Barrio 
 and Orillia runs close to it, and as may be exjiected 
 from such a circumstance, it has increased in im- 
 portance, but has lost much of the tidy, Sunday 
 air that formerly pervaded it. 
 
 There was, in the evening, a noisy party of sports- 
 men in the next room — the public one — who had 
 just returned from Beaver Town, they having been 
 deer-shooting up beyond Balsam Lake, so I got 
 into a quiet seat amongst them. 
 
 This had once been a favourite hunting-place of 
 my own, so I listend with no small amount of interest. 
 They had been moderately fortunate, so the young- 
 sters were in high glee ; the more staid and elder 
 ones agreeing that their two weeks' work was nothing 
 
89 
 
 LONE MFE : 
 
 to what ihvy would Iwivo doiio ten or twi'lvc years 
 ai»o. This is tho old crv, and unfortiinatidy a truo 
 ono for those; fond of flcId-sports ; ^aino is rapidly 
 upon the tk'croaso unless you ^o beyond tiu; ver^c; of 
 civilisation. 
 
 This Haisani Lake; has (juito a ronnuiee attached to 
 it ; at least the voice of the people livinrr at Heaver 
 Town had ^iven it one. It was a lovely spot, and de- 
 served such an honour. 
 
 Tho story ran that hetween thirty and forty years 
 anjo, a well-known Admiral in our Navy bcjcame so 
 enamoured of IJalsam Ijake, that he l)ou<rht a laffio 
 extent of land upon its mari^in, and there moved his 
 household <x^hU. As he was ])ossessed of abundant 
 means, no expense was spared in erecting a suitable 
 dwellin*^. So workmen were collected from far and 
 near, and a handsome stone house built, the interior 
 
 fittings of which were said to be sumptuous. Then 
 a host of lumbermen were brought, and rajndly rod 
 after rod of the original forest was cleared away, till 
 lunidrcds of acres were fit for cultivation. 
 
 Then came the story oft told — still oftener never 
 known — of a young wife repining for home, friends, 
 and civilisation, insanity in the end drowning her 
 longings, and, too late, the bereaved husband quitting 
 the wilderness in the futile hope of restoring intellect 
 
A YEAIl IK THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 da 
 
 to the stricken one; doatli, uu fortunately, was tho 
 only ri'loaso her nttllctions knuw. So tho hrokon- 
 hearted sailor never returned ; his arable grounds 
 became an entangled thieket, and tho house a ruin, 
 for the j)l:ico then was too far from settlements to in- 
 duce any one to live upon it that depended upon 
 the sale of their produce for obtaining tho necessaries 
 of life. 
 
 Whether this tale is tnie, and the ilramatia pertotKw 
 were such as I have mentioned, I cannot vouch ; but 
 I have seen the tund)le-down wrecked liouse, and 
 shot deer in the second-growth timber that luxu- 
 riantly covered the soil where once had grown wheat. 
 More than that, I have seen the grey wolf recklessly 
 running down his quarry where, years ago, the skulk- 
 ing scound''el dare not have shown himself without 
 being saluted with a rifle-bullet. 
 
 American railways arc not proverbial for velocity; 
 Canadian ones deserve this character most thoroughly ; 
 but after many efTorts on the part of the locomotive, in 
 wliicli the ])asscnger could not help wondering whe- 
 tlicr they would be vouched success, we arrived at the 
 I village of Orillia — very much increased in size since 
 I had last seen it, still none the less pretty. 
 
 Lake Couchachin, reacliing almost to the residents* 
 Idwellings, rested in calm repose, its surface only being 
 
 VOL. I. D 
 
a4 
 
 roNii MM',: 
 
 l»rolv(M» l>\ (In» (li\<» ol !i wild ilmK or Idtni. wliilf 
 op|>osi(o, livlK'Ms lookmjv Kmiiiii \v;i'< t'onMnitunns, iiinl 
 llu> 1 \> o isl;mtls l\;iH \\;i\ M( ro'^4 IooukmI n|», ^MMHtl ill 
 111 
 
 WW np>'-<M :ii\.l stwrlol «'(»\»miiii' oI miiIiiiiiii lolmiri* 
 
 loll 
 
 M 
 
 in\ \uoi\lh' 
 
 I 
 
 llVl'tl hOIT 
 
 ImiI 
 
 MO lolll' IS ll SIIK'O 
 
 tl\;i( 1 l<t'l i\ s\\.\\\yyv in 1 l\p piiH'o (lull onco Kii 
 
 o\v 
 
 mo 
 
 Mv I 
 
 ^;\iri:»»!r*' 
 
 nuil tl -'' I lint! smIV : llio lilllo I 
 
 rllow 
 
 soiMii> \o nn'oj'ui^i' i\ii\ iin lioiiom- lio Iimm iiovor doiir 
 
 l>ot\M\' ; \\o is r\i<J«M\(l\ Olio ol lli(tst' oii.'iriuMors w ll 
 
 o 
 
 *lo wot lUMko ;i»'(|iiMml;moi's m m imrrv— ^'ood rsi- 
 tUMUH' of Jus siih'ojitN wlu'M I li!i \ o iiiu iumI his conli- 
 
 ilon 
 
 v'O 
 
 'V\w ho\c\ I ]Mit u|> Ml is owe I li;iv(» rcsidotl in 
 
 bofiMW Inil it has ohMuood hiinds. I jisk omsumIIv 
 
 :\i\cv A tow ot ni\ old most intimali' iVionds. Soiiio 
 
 havo d.isaj'poarod ; olhors rost lUhK >• tin* soiuIuh' sha- 
 
 llows ot tho piiio-troos t hat surround t ho •.'■ravo\ ard. 
 SulVioiont thou. 1 will roinaiii unknown. Al'tor sup- 
 per — n nioal that takos phu'o in Ainorii-a al>out tho 
 tinio niv old hrothor-ollii'ors are assonihlinii; in iho 
 anto-ro(>ui tor moss — 1 go t\M'th on a tour of inspoo- 
 tion. '* What to soo in a (^mailian country viliam'?" 
 I hoar inquired. Woll, to smoke a pipe, yes, and got, 
 the fresh air — 1 may as well eonfess further, to learn i 
 if the house stood where in years gone by one of thcj 
 
A viiAii IN 'nil; \vim»i;iini';mh. 
 
 HA 
 
 III 
 
 
 |i|'(<lli«'H|. fMii'^ livt'd, Mild MV<> niir III |||(> iiidkI IovmIiI*) 
 tliiil r'lT it \VM'< iii\ lull' |o iii(M>l. 
 
 Iiiil :ill JM tliiiiiiri'd ; oiil\ IIm' /M'omid on Nvlii' li it, 
 sloiid r<MiiiiiMn. And wondniiKr ||i!i| ni'm roidd Im 
 
 M 
 
 lillv'd i^ikIi di"ic('nilion, I I'rliirn to j|n' fdvern 
 
 di'<'4:it islird wit li I InMVorld, ;iiid in litr I I'oni ;in iiini.dilr 
 
 iiiiiioiir 
 
 I I 
 
 i!iv<' inlcnrd IIimI IIk- rlinidlf (d ( (iii.'idji r; nroini 
 
 to iiiiikc |MMtjd(' lliirsly, lliiM uiis Jitnply |tio\cd Ity tlio 
 niniilii'i' nl' lonn^MTM who dr(i|i|)('d in of ni/dil. lo linvn 
 ii ni}dit-rn|i. Tlir <|iimililj[(d llirsc (-{m li visitor pro- 
 vidcd liini^(dr uilli, I nlntiiM tliiiil; would ni;il<(> !i 
 lied Mn|M«illiioiis, lint. .•nnoiiL'; J'll tli(; 
 
 iillow on his 
 
 iiiilMlxTs I did not. I'ccuirMisc (Mk- r;iiMili;ii' hicc, ;nid 
 !i lilllc over twenty yc.'irs liiid doiio ;ill this. 
 
 \\ li;il \v;is invown rclrosiiccf in tlnit, sjcirc (»(' llnic'? 
 wind, liiid I srrn ? wlicrc liiid I Itccn f Nejirly ;dl 
 over llic t'lirlli, Mild wiliirssiwj llie sti'iiM-^Jcs of iiMtion 
 ;i<.!;;iiiisl!iMlion, t lie li(d(diin^ foi'tli of shot, Miid slioll, 
 r!iniM!Li;(' iiiid dcMtli. And why slioiild otlicrs not, 
 stray from lionic mikI (Viciids as well mm iriysclf"? 
 
 A more mM^niliceiil, ni^lit if, could not, linve jjos- 
 siblv hocii than it wa.s when I retii'ed to mv room. 
 Feeliiii^ disincliiK'd for rest, [)o.s,sihly to revive; ine- 
 
 'ariiMinones o 
 
 f tl 
 
 ic 
 
 <t, 1 tl 
 
 past, I llircw up my windo 
 
 w 
 
 JJef 
 
 ore 
 
 thcBmc, jutting far out into the lake, lay the old familiar 
 
 D 2 
 
3G 
 
 LONE LIFE : 
 
 point. And the moon "which shone full and grand 
 beyond it, wrapped its outline in that misty sha- 
 dowiness ever so attractive. The panorama was 
 grasped in a minute, and my thoughts wandered 
 back to my boy love. All this is very romantic, 
 doubtless, but nevertheless true. 
 
 Some have not the courage to make the confession 
 that they have ever loved, more look at such boyish 
 escapades as things to be forgotten. I'm not inclined 
 to do either, altliough such a weakness may be 
 deemed unbecoming in a wanderer ; men whose 
 mode of life should make them ever most in- 
 different to the tender passion. But the most impro- 
 bable are its victims ; even soldiers suffer periodically, 
 and I have known them so severely scorched, that 
 years afterwards they have borne the scars. 
 
 "But touching the lady, now you have told us 
 that such a person once existed who made an impres- 
 sion on your susceptible boyish feelings, what was 
 she like ?" I imagine asked, and have no hesitation to j 
 gratify such natural curiosity. 
 
 She looked better bred than human beings arej 
 usually moulded; on foot or horseback, in prome- 
 nade or ball-room, she could not have passed the I 
 least susceptible of the sons of man, the least inclined 
 to exertion among the lords of creation, without their 
 
 great dea 
 
 and a deli 
 
 that I was 
 
 had serve 
 
 great Du 
 
 me to visi 
 
 A perfe 
 
 of the gei 
 
 characterij 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 37 
 
 tiirning to have a second glance, nay, a long fixed 
 lo">k at her handsome, graceful figure. 
 ^' And how did you meet her, and all that sort of 
 
 tiling r 
 
 Well, in this way. I was staying at this village ; for 
 several days during my afternoon walk I met an 
 erect, handsome, military-looking old gentleman. The 
 cut of his clothes was certainly rather of an anti- 
 quated date, and exhibited indications that they had 
 endured a fearful amount of brushing, but being 
 ever scrupulously clean, failed to impress you with 
 shabbiness. 
 
 With the courtesy of one of the old regime, the 
 second time we were thrown in contact he bowed, 
 the third time we met occasion was made to start a 
 conversation. 
 
 My old friend. Captain , had travelled a very 
 
 great deal, seen much of life, was a keen observer, 
 and a delightful conversationalist, and when he knew 
 that I was the son of a military man, and one that 
 had served with him in the Peninsula under the 
 great Duke, we became so intimate that he invited 
 me to visit him. 
 
 A perfect childlike simplicity and a superabundance 
 of the gentlest feelings in human nature were his 
 characteristics ; still he had done everything, from 
 
38 
 
 T.ONK T.IFli: : 
 
 hav'mi; Ills miiu out, to makiiiui; his roii;iiiUMit tlirow 
 away tliuir knapsacks, to lmkiIjIo them to char<^e 
 Letter, when he had tiic hoiioiii' of lea(lin<^ his 
 corps ill one of tlie most hrilliaiit affairs that 
 took phico between tlie Ameriean tn)oj)S and our- 
 selves, wlieii we advanced on Washini^tou ])revious 
 to its capture. For wliich little escapade, viz., dis- 
 cardinur the nieirs necessaries, launhinaly he used to 
 tell how he was tried by court-martial, ac(putted, 
 but informed not to do it aijjain. Ilalf-})ay was all 
 the uieaus he possessed, but even on that moiety was 
 considered by his primitive uei<^hbours "passing 
 rich," as was the curate in Goldsmith's Deserted 
 Village on a much smaller stipend. 
 
 At length I i)ai(l my promised visit. I was fortu- 
 nate, for I met the old gentleman engaged, spado in 
 hand, among his flowers, to which he was remark- 
 ably attached and unremitting in his attention. 
 
 Ushcrino; me into his sittiuii; - room, from the 
 abrujitness of our entrance we surprised his daughter 
 sitting in the recess of a window that looked out over 
 the lake, busily engaged in mending her father's 
 socks. Many young ladies would be ashamed if 
 detected by a stranger engaged in such occupation. 
 But she had not a particle of false pride in her veins, 
 but rose with all the grace of a duchess, and met 
 me with that unaffectedness and sincerity of manner 
 
A YKATl IX TIIK Wir.Dr.KNKSS. 
 
 31) 
 
 tliat ai once i)r('vonts a ifiicsl from Iiniii'liiinii; tlmt lie 
 is ail iiiti'iidcr. 
 
 From tliat day fortli my ronjunl for tlio old captain 
 iTivw apace, Avliik; for tlio daui'litcr admiration clianmid 
 into love, wliicli kept increasin;^ with the lapse of 
 time as would veoetation in a perpi'tnal sprinii;, .and 
 
 really how could it be othernise, for Miss was 
 
 not only *i;racefnl, as 1 have said, but she was lovely. 
 Her coin])lexion was simply brilliant, but there; was a 
 transparency about it that whisjjered to me tlionn;lits 
 of consiun})tion. She was even more beautiful than 
 distln<j}(r, her face a perfect oval, her nose a(jniline, 
 with thin chiselled nostrils, her forehead which 
 was smooth, broad, but not high, was sluuled (m 
 either side with a wealth of chestnut-black wavy 
 hair, generally worn sim})ly cauifht up and fas- 
 tened in a knot on the back of her classic-formed 
 head. For a heroine of romance, a I^icy of Lam- 
 mermoor, the world mio;ht have been searched over 
 without finding as suitable a prototype. Still she did 
 not impress you with sadness, (piite the reverse, and 
 her energy and industry never permitted her to be 
 idle a moment. 
 
 The better to enjoy my partiality for field sports, 
 I moved across the lake to the termination of a deep 
 bay, distant about six miles from Orillia ; but what 
 did space matter, love made my arms strong and my 
 
 r ' 
 
40 
 
 LONE LIFE : 
 
 lieart bnivo, f»)r in all woatluTs, calm or storm, I 
 would (ind myself at tlu' old captain's once, soinc- 
 tinics twice a week. When I look back upon the 
 black tempestuous ni<^lils that I havi; beat home, in 
 my narnnv lonuj <^ii^, with the sail reefi'd down to its 
 smallest si/e, and ballast lumbering the floor to the 
 very seats to make the craft able to bear up against 
 the blar.ts i. ;i])pears to me j)erfectlyJmarvellous how 
 1 ever *-:.c . .*• ^oiiiix to the bottom. 
 
 Autumn tlriltvd into winter, and nbout the^middle 
 of Deceuti.. . 'he "' ''ame, the frost steadily increas- 
 inu; for nidi a week, but so far not a flake of snow 
 hail fallen ; so every afternoon saw my skates buckled 
 on, and away 1 flew for Orillia, and the society 
 of well, I'll say the old captain's dau^^hter, 
 
 I tliink it was Christnuis Eve, if not, within a 
 day or two of it ; the old ^entleiUan, who had lately 
 been indisposed, retired early, and I remained ; our 
 ii'te-a-ti'te was tleliglitful, and time sped so rapidly 
 that midnight came before, yes, long before it was 
 wanted. 
 
 Getting uj), I prepared to go, sat down again, and 
 postponed leave-taking a little longer. At length it 
 was one o'clock, so buckling on my skates in the sitting- 
 room, and well mufHed up to keep out the keen frost, 
 I went to the door accompanied by my companion, 
 and found to our surprise that the ground and lake 
 
A vi:au in the wirnKUNrss. 
 
 A] 
 
 wcro covori'd witli snow, and that lar^'c, heavy, l)ut 
 not nunuTons Hakes wcro still (K'sccndin^. My 
 liostvss ini|)h)i'(.Ml of nu; not to think of starting under 
 sucli circnnistanccvs ; " tlicn; was a spare, I)lm1 for me, 
 papji will 1)0 so iin^ry wlu'ii Ik; knows it," were all 
 urged in vain, for youne; fools arc often fond of 
 inakin«j; heroes of themselves, and even sometimes hope 
 that ;i reckless assumption of indiffei'enee to dim^^er 
 will cause them to ohfain the reputation of coura<^(;. 
 
 A louf^ plank, the landinrr-place for hoats when the 
 water was open, jutted out into the lake. So anxious 
 
 was Miss to prevent my going, that in spite 
 
 of snow and thin shoes she; followed me to it, for 
 from there I intended starting on my cheerless 
 journey. 
 
 " Good-bye, it's all right, there's no danger," were 
 my parting reassurances, and I struck out into the 
 darkness and the storm. As scarce!, an inch of 
 snow lay upon the ice, I got on famously at first, and 
 soon drew near the two islands, the narrow channel 
 between Avbicli I intended to j)ass through. Although 
 only a short space of time had passed since I started^ 
 a complete change had come over the appearance of 
 the weather, for the wind had commenced to rise and 
 sough dismally, and the snow to fall in blinding 
 quantities. I might have turned back, but a monitor 
 within whispered shame upon such cowardice, so I 
 
 :^ 
 
 ^^^Si., 
 
42 
 
 LONK LIFE: 
 
 braced myself and delei'iniiied to carry out my orif^iiial 
 Intention. My speed was now necessarily slower, so 
 between tlie two islands I entered, feelin<j; less phicky 
 and a ^ood deal more uncertain as to the issue. I 
 bad nearly cleared tliem to strike out for the open 
 water when to my left a Incifee howled in his most 
 dismal unearthly manner. This animal's voice was not 
 familiar to me then, and it terrified mc to sueli an 
 extent that but for the n;ivatest mental and physical 
 exertion I should have broken down throuifli fear, for 
 I believed such a weird-like note could only come 
 from a supernatural beini:;. After overcomin;^ the 
 first sliock, my streuf^th returned, and fear gave me 
 an additional im])etus to renew my speed ; but I had 
 not gone far when the same wild cry echoed from my 
 right. Alloway Kirk and a tliousand other ghost scenes 
 flitted before me, and 1 fairly flew to escape the 
 locality that Satanic beings had evidently selected 
 for their revelry. 
 
 But the storm had increased, the wind lifted the 
 loose snow and heaved it about in wild fantastic 
 drifts, and the big descending flakes rushed before 
 the impetuous blast. Fifty yards I could not see 
 before me, yes, often not half that distance, but 
 onwards, onwards I struggled, hoping my course was 
 right, praying that I should not by chance be direct- 
 ing my steps to the haunted islands. I skated and 
 
A YKAU IN THK WILDKHNESS, 
 
 4:'. 
 
 skiitud, slackened my pace from pure exliaustion, re- 
 newed my efforts with (lesj)erate will, a^ain to slacken 
 tlicni lor want of j)ower of endurance. Hours nnist 
 have passed thus, and I was hecomini^ rcconcih-d, 
 careless of results, when somethin<^ dark loomed before 
 me; scarcely had I observed this when T fell forward, 
 (latheriui^ myself together I hesitated whether to rise 
 or not, when the same loomint^ dark (Mitline presented 
 itself. AVith a great effort I found I could move; 
 slowly I (h'a<i:fi!;ed myself on towards what [ knew 
 not; more I camiot tell from memory, for the next 
 twenty-four hours are a day of my life for which I 
 have got credit, but was deprived of the j^ower to use. 
 
 In a comfortable room I found mvself ; it was in 
 the residence of the ^lethodist missionary, living at 
 the Indian village of Kama. I low I had come there 
 was in this way. The good old clergyman could not 
 sleep from the howling of the tem[)est without,' so the 
 night had passed till about four in the morning, when 
 he was alarmed by hearing some heavy substance 
 fall against his door. Ever on the alert to do good, 
 and believing that it might be one of his Hock who 
 required aid, he rushed down-stairs to ascertain, 
 and there found the writer insensible, and many a 
 week passed before he was able to find his way back 
 to Orillia. 
 
 Not long after came the new^s that every proba- 
 
4d 
 
 LONE LIFK : 
 
 bilitv oxlstdl tliat Eni;l!m(l slioiild Vo to war with 
 Ilussia. I):iv and ui«i;lit I could not rest, " for I lonm'd 
 to follow to the field some warlike ehief," so I (|uitted 
 the calin shores of Lake Couehachin, and continued 
 travcllinfj eastward till I reached the land of my 
 birth, little then helieviii*;, still hoping', that I shouhl 
 n*^ain see the '*Lady of the Lake." 
 
 I liave now been at Orillia for several days, 
 but intend leaving to-morrow : durinfr tlmt time I 
 have visited several of my old haunts, and had a few 
 hours ])ike fishin»^. My companion is the first person 
 whom I have recognised, although time has made a 
 wonderful change in his appearance. He is a Chip- 
 pewa Indian, who was frequently a hunting ctmipanion 
 in days gone by, and at that period considered the 
 best trapper of his village. But drink, that curse 
 of the Ked-man, has made him i)rematurely aged, 
 and his formerly steady hand that could handle the 
 rifle with such precision, now shakes like an aspen 
 leaf. I asked him on the first day wo met about his 
 sister Margaret, who, when I formerly resided here, 
 was the belle of all the l{ed-skin beauties, a veritable 
 Pocahontas. Old Joe promised that I should see 
 her on the morrow. I almost wish I had not now — 
 for I would have much preferred to live in the me- 
 mory of her charms than to renew her acquaintance 
 if she has suffered cruel and forbidding alterations. 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDEIINESS. 
 
 45 
 
 Of nil races in the world that I know of, the women 
 of none clmngo so rapidly as the Indians, and an 
 old s(|uaw is actually hideous, 
 
 ]5ut Marrraret came across to see me — douhtless 
 visions of some loose chaofje (loatini; before her eves 
 liad caused her to be so prompt in her attention, I 
 tliou<;ht, when she entered the room. For njy part 
 I never would have recoj^nised her; hut after u lon^ 
 and careful survey, in which she carefully examined 
 my hand for an old scar, she (piietly sat down uj)on 
 a chair, all the time keepin<; her eyes fixed upon me. 
 After a lengthened pause, pointing with her witch- 
 like claw, she said, " Yes, that is the white boy-— 
 the same that live long, long ago, at Sugar Ma})lc 
 Point." Money, to my surprise, she refused to 
 accept; but a resplendent Brummagem trinket she 
 carried away, appearing to be made the happiest woman 
 in the world bv the gift. Next mornin2 her brother 
 brought me a beautiful mink skin, skilfully tanned 
 and dressed, and worth ten such baubles as I had 
 given her as a present. I was ashamed to accept so 
 handsome a gift ; but all that I could say would not 
 argue him into receiving remuneration for it. So, 
 in this instance, I had judged my old acquaintance 
 wrongly. 
 
4G 
 
 LONK I.IKE : 
 
 CIIArTEU IV. 
 
 Willi. K |)ii(l(llin«j; a\()n<x the u|»])er slioreof the lako 
 nitout two niik's Ijoyoiid Su^'ar Mii|)lc Point, wlicro I 
 had ])reviously resided, T turned the canoe's liead 
 Inshore, to point out to Joe thc^ scene of an episode 
 tliat nearly cost nie my life. The ])hu'e, liowever, 
 Avas much elianf^ed ; for when I saw it hist it was 
 only ;i ne<i;!eete(l elearin^^, here and there hi'usli 
 assertin<!; a ])osition. Now it was overrun with ;i dense 
 •frowth of maple and hireli, laeed and locked 
 tofTctlier with creei)ers of everv kind indim-nous to 
 tlie countrv. Douhtless a favourite cover with ''anie, 
 but the very deuce for a wlntc man to be obliged to 
 
 1 
 
 ih 
 
 lorce lus way tlirou^li. 
 
 The story was this. On a lovely autunnial after- 
 noon — and none who have not seen them can ima<»;ine 
 the beauty of such localities in all the gorgeousness 
 of scarlet, pink, gold, and green with which the 
 
 vogeta 
 
 Its well 
 
 landsc.i 
 
 Tridian 
 
 residi'ii 
 
 been |i 
 
 quarter 
 
 ii{)on u 
 
 with th 
 
 and m: 
 
 with us 
 
 we rap 
 
 in vest in- 
 
 were cei 
 
 to daylii 
 
 While r 
 
 the half 
 
 lad ran 
 
 and witl 
 
 tion froi 
 
 note. 'I 
 
 in disco\ 
 
 they did 
 
 onco to 
 
 ing the s" 
 
 mellow \ 
 
A YEAU IN Tilt: WlLDEUNESa. 
 
 47 
 
 vo^ctuMi* world is licru clothod, and its inarrnifjccnoo 
 as wi'll as liariMony ulieu a bright huh lights up tlio 
 hmdscapi! in tlu' (all (if the yi'ur — I and an 
 Indian lad, littK* owr twelve years of a^^e, left my 
 rcsidonco to try a jialr of hounds that had lately 
 been presented mo. After coasting about threo 
 (piarters of a mile, a wood-ehnck bein*^ observed 
 upon a stump, we both landed from tlu^ Ijircli-bark 
 with the hope of bein<^ able to unearth the nnirmot 
 and make him a prize. Tho only weapon wo had 
 with us was an axe, and althou^di with its assistance 
 we rapidly enlarife(l the burrow, still on further 
 investigation we found it was so deep that our efforts 
 were certain to result in failure, if lini'tini; ourselves 
 to dayliLdit, so it was determined to f^ive the task up. 
 While resliuix before re-end.arkin*', botli of us heard 
 the half <frunt, half bleat of a buck; immediately tlio 
 lad ran off for the hounds who were in the eanoe, 
 and with them we struck into the bush in the direc- 
 tion from wlience j)roc!ce(led the deer's challenfro 
 note. The sharp eyes of the Indian were not long 
 in discovering a fresh trail. Uncoupling the dogs, 
 they did not re(|uirc being laid on, but stooped at 
 onco to tho trail and went off at racing pace, alarm- 
 ing the sleeping echoes by the deep cadence of their 
 mellow voices. Cheerier notes I never listened to, 
 
48 
 
 LONE LIFE : 
 
 T ■' 
 
 for their producers wcro of a race now nearly extinct, 
 whose deep chests and heavy flews produced a music 
 that would drown the voice of a whole pack of ordi- 
 nary fox-hounds. IIo])in<T that the buck would take 
 tho water after half a dozen rounds of his favourite 
 haunts, generally the last and most successful ruse'to 
 throw out persistent pursuers, we entered the canoe 
 and paddled from shore a few hundred yards. But the 
 decrease in the distinctness of the voices of the 
 hounds proclaimed that the hunt was leaving our 
 vicinity, so we coasted for over a mile in the required 
 direction. This step received its reward, for we were 
 evidently again abreast of the dogs, who seemed to 
 be at fault ; for although their voices were none the 
 less sonorous, still the notes were not repeated as 
 frequently. " There the deer, there," called my com- 
 panion, and following the direction indicated by his 
 hand, a head and gallant pair of antlers could be seen 
 stealing smoothly, and without an enTort, over the sur- 
 face of the unruffled lake. Not awaiting, as we should 
 have done, for the game to get well away from land, 
 we immediately gave chase, and as few animals swim 
 faster than deer, the wary creature turned for shore 
 the moment it observed us, and we had the satis- 
 faction, if such it can be called, of getting within a 
 few yards of its nut-brown flanks as its feet grounded, 
 a few rapid plunges carrying it on shore, when it 
 
 Hi 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDBRNESS. 
 
 49 
 
 1 
 
 ere 
 
 1 
 
 to 
 
 '1 
 
 tlie 
 
 H 
 
 as 
 
 4 
 
 )in- 
 
 1 
 
 disappeared into the jungle. The hounds, who 
 had been attracted to the beach by our shouts and 
 clieers, as each encourage the other to renewed, and, 
 if possible, more powerful exertion in propelling the 
 canoe, almost mobbed the buck, but being an old 
 staiicr he manao;ed to avoid their onslaught. 
 
 Again we paddled out a few hundred yards from 
 shore, the better to command a view of the coast line, 
 for we still had an absurd idea that the quarry, after 
 his first experience, might be induced again to take 
 water. Youth and inexperience are the only excuses 
 that can be urged for such ignorance in venerie. 
 The monotony of our position began to get irksome, 
 wlien I perceived an object nearly half a mile off, 
 that looked like a piece of charred timber floating on 
 tlie water. Close observation disclosed to me that it 
 moved, and advancing in its direction over half the 
 intermediate space revealed a wake, and the species 
 of animal that made it. 
 
 " Oh for a gun !" I exclaimed ; " what would 1 not 
 give for a gun !" 
 
 " You steer," said the boy ; '' I kill him with the 
 
 axe. 
 
 >> 
 
 " No, I will ; you steer ; I have twice the strength 
 that you have, and you can handle the canoe better 
 than me," I hurriedly said to the lad. 
 
 VOL. I. E 
 
 ' ( 
 
50 
 
 LONE life: 
 
 ' !i; 
 
 So I got the axe and placed it handy beside me, 
 and knitting my teeth, dipped the paddle deep, and 
 we drove our light craft skimming over the lake. 
 
 I did not much like my task. I would have given 
 anything to have changed my weapon for a gun ; but 
 show the white feather before that little grinning 
 fiend behind me, who would not have halted for even 
 thought, supposing the danger had been twice as 
 great — no ! never ! But a few yards divided us now. 
 I carefully laid my paddle ^n one side ; my hands 
 were hot and trembling from the unusual exertion, so 
 I reached both for an instant into the cool water and 
 took the axe, having got my legs under me so as to 
 be able to get on my feet in an instant. Bruin did 
 not like us ; his lip curled, and his eye looked back 
 towards us, but he did not deviate in his course. 
 
 " Are you ready, boy?" 
 
 " Am," grunted the young savage. 
 
 " Then give way," I said ; and he did, for the 
 canoe shot forward as a sleigh over the smoothest ice- 
 track. 
 
 One, two, three. I am within striking distance. 
 Slowly I raise myself ; the heavy blade describes a 
 circle over my right shoulder, and comes down with 
 a swing that would have felled a bull, a crunch as of 
 the pulverising of bones telling that my exertion has 
 not been fruitless ; but the power with which I struck 
 
 not timi 
 
 our imi 
 
 for the 
 
 over an 
 
 \ We wer 
 
 "^ hold ad] 
 
 floating 
 
 ourselves 
 
 cork floa 
 
 Bruin wj 
 
 or felt t 
 
 made for 
 
 most obst 
 
 portunity 
 
 However, 
 
 the lad m. 
 
 young Lk 
 
 Next day 
 
 ceding dea 
 
 I doubt if 
 
 pade to ob 
 
 Joe, wh 
 
 dicating hi 
 
 claimed as 
 
A TEA.TI IN TUE WILDERNESS. 
 
 51 
 
 threw the canoe off her balance ; so to save an upset 
 I dropped the axe overboard — yes, overboard. I had 
 not time to do otherwise, for but a moment postponed 
 our immersion : but it was only for a moment, 
 for the bear, when it received the stroke, turned 
 over and placed one of its paws upon the gunwale. 
 We were unarmed, and therefore unable to cut his 
 hold adrift, and in a moment our cockle-shell was 
 floating bottom upmost, with the paddles, bear, and 
 ourselves bobbing up and down around it like the 
 cork floats of a net full of large fish. Fortunately, 
 Bruin was satisfied with the mischief he had done, 
 or felt too weak to attempt further hostilities, so 
 made for shore, leaving us to hang to our craft, the 
 most obstreperous of all its race when it gets an op- 
 portunity of this kind to make itself disagreeable. 
 However, after some exertion we got it righted, and 
 the lad got inside while I held on by the stern, the 
 young Indian soon after paddling into shoal water. 
 Next day the bear was found in the last agonies pre- 
 ceding death, and prime as both pelt and carcase were, 
 I doubt if I should like to go through the same esca- 
 pade to obtain their superior, let alone their equal. 
 
 Joe, who listened attentively to all I said, only in- 
 dicating his presence by a grunt of approval, ex- 
 claimed as soon as I had finished : 
 
 E 2 
 
52 
 
 LONE LIFE : 
 
 Jlll 
 
 *' That all true ; that just so. I know who was 
 with you that clay ; he often tell me all about it ; he 
 old Snake's son. You remember old chief Snake — 
 live in next big house to missionaries' in Kama ?" 
 
 No, I could not remember my companion's name, 
 and I told him so. 
 
 "Well, that no matter. Old Snake son, I tell you. 
 Old Snake still alive," then turning very serious in 
 features and solemn in voice, ^' but Jim dead — dead 
 now long time ; he all the same as brother to me, 
 and best hunter we then have. Yes, he all the same 
 as brother to me." 
 
 " How did he die, Joe ?" 
 
 *' Oh, ordinary Avay; nothing funny in him's 
 death." (lie doubtless meant peculiar.) " llim coming 
 home from fall hunt one stormy night ; wind blow 
 very hard; so top of pine-tree snap right off and fall 
 on him. Suppose you come to Rama, I show you 
 Irim's squaw and sons." 
 
 I should have taken Joe with me on my intended 
 journey if he had been as formerly, but his love of 
 whisky had shattered his constitution, and prematurely 
 he had become an old man. He begged hard to go, 
 but I told him firmly but not unkindly it could not 
 be. With tears almost in his eyes, he kissed my hand 
 at parting, exclaiming to himself, " That whisky kill 
 
 At Co 
 
 I sliould 
 
 tlie Nort 
 
 depart fc 
 
 down lic] 
 
 necessarii 
 
 With f 
 
 miserable- 
 
 and it w 
 
 in a heav 
 
 supply the 
 
 and very 
 
 nesota, wl 
 
 adhere to ] 
 
 Many o 
 
 had dealt, 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 58 
 
 me; you afraid I drink too much — that why you 
 no take* me witli vou." 
 
 1 feel convinced — well, I would not take away the 
 poor fellow's character without cause — that I saw 
 him enter a grog-shop as the train rolled out of the 
 station, in which he doubtlessly got roaring drunk in 
 ten minutes, and did not leave till all his hard-earned 
 money was spent. Alas, the poor Indian ! he is like 
 a child — more helpless in fact — for he cannot control 
 Ills longings if in his power to gratify them. 
 
 At Collingwood I found, as I had been informed 
 I should, several families of Indians belonging to 
 the North, far up beyond JMuskoka Lake, ready to 
 depart for their hunting-grounds. They had been 
 down here to trade, and supply themselves with 
 necessaries for carrying on the winter hunt. 
 
 With few exceptions they were the poorest, most 
 miserable-looking lot that I had ever previously seen, 
 and it was quite evident that they had indulged 
 in a heavy drinking bout, as long as the means to 
 supply the needful lasted. I was quite discouraged 
 and very nearly changing my destination for Min- 
 nesota, when a circumstance arose to induce me to 
 adhere to my original plan. 
 
 Many of the storekeepers with whom the Indians 
 had dealt, I asked for information regarding them, 
 
54 
 
 LONE LIFE : 
 
 whether they knew thorn, where they came from, 
 and more im])ortant still, -whether they thought they 
 were to be trusted. To all of these queries 1 got most 
 unsatisfactory answers, for their conduct since they 
 had come to the town had been one scene of drunken- 
 ness; moreover, that they were all strangers, and 
 had never been there before. The keeper of one 
 store I liad visited several times had a remarkably 
 kindly expression, with a soft laughing eye, and was 
 less severe upon the unfortunate Ked-skins than any 
 of his neighbours. In his shop I had on two occa- 
 sions seen a sun-burnt, short hairy man, either lolling 
 about or sitting upon a flour-barrel. His manner 
 was evidently that of a person out at elbows, and very 
 anxious to get something to do. I saw that he eyed 
 me closelv, and believe he wished me to enter into 
 conversation with him, which I did not, preferring the 
 advances to come from him. At length one morning 
 I entered tlie store, and while speaking to the host, 
 the stranger came in, respectfully listened to our con- 
 versation, and at its finish told me that he was both 
 a trapper and lumberman, had followed either one or 
 other, or both if circumstances permitted, and would 
 be happy to join me if we could arrange terms. As a 
 further inducement he told me he knew the locality 
 I wished to go to, but that if I would deviate more 
 to the left he could take me to most admirable 
 
A YEAR IN TUB WILDERNESS, 
 
 55 
 
 winter quarters — winter quarters situated in the very 
 best moose, cariboo, and bear country in Canada. 
 
 I listened quietly to all he had to say, and then 
 asked him if he had a character, or could ho mention 
 any one that could vouch for his good behaviour. 
 
 No, he had not ; he might have had doubHess if he 
 had ever thou<rht such was necessary, but he had 
 lived beyond settlements where he could always get 
 his living independent of any one, unless he went 
 lumbering, when the boss of a gang had only to see 
 how he could handle an axe for five minutes or drive 
 a yoke of cattle, and he was bound sure to give him 
 best wages. 
 
 I knew that what he stated was more than pro- 
 bably true, so I told him to think over what arrange- 
 ments we could make for the winter, possibly for 
 a year, and let me know on the morrow. 
 
 In the mean time I made numerous inquiries about 
 this man, but no person knew him ; all that they 
 could say was, that he had come from the West in 
 the steam-boat, a week or two since, had paid his 
 score where he lodged, and had conducted himself in 
 such a manner as not to have become objectionable 
 to any one. 
 
 His first demand on the morrow was fifty dollars a 
 month, a winter fit-out, and permission to trade on 
 his own account. 
 
56 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 After Rucli a proposal I told him that it was un- 
 necessary to broacli tlie subject any more, so he left. 
 
 In a few hours ho returned, and said he would be 
 satisfied with half the amount of money ; but even 
 with this deduction T refused to enirafro him. 
 
 Again he departed, the nonchalance of his manner 
 being diplomatic to perfection. 
 
 But next morning he was announced again. He 
 didn't come to talk business, only to learn how I was 
 getting on ; was willing to give mc any information I 
 wanted, took a glass of grog and a cigar, of course, 
 at my request, and regretted extremely that we were 
 not at the other end of Lake Superior, for he could 
 take me from there into the best huntinn;-ff round in 
 the world, bar none. The impudent assurance of this 
 man was his greatest attraction. In the Indian 
 country of the far West I have met many of his 
 stamp, but he beat them all. If coolness and decision 
 would rescue any man from the just penalty of his 
 rascality, then this one was sure to escape. 
 
 After imbibing his glass of whisky, he spoke much 
 more freely, and less guardedly than before — for one 
 glass of spirits has double the effect upon persons 
 who spend the greater portions of their lives where 
 it is not to be obtained — and I learned as I supposed 
 that he had traversed the plains and seen Mexico, 
 spent a winter in the Rocky Mountains, and had 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 57 
 
 lived hall-ft'llow-wcll-inct for indefinite periods with 
 the Sioux, some distance north of Fort Edniinton. 
 He was really very anuisin*^ now, and his society did 
 not bore me in the least, so I listened with |>leusnro 
 to yarn after yarn, which I believeil true, becauso 
 there was a probability about them, and a knowh'd^o 
 of the persons anil places who fi(^ured in them, that 
 it was impossible for an uneducated man to con- 
 ceive. 
 
 Still I made no allusion to his accompanyinr]; mc. 
 
 At length, when a spirit of hon camaraderie ap- 
 peared to be thoroughly established, he again broached 
 the all-important subject, by saying: 
 
 " Captain, I'm darned if 1 would not like to go 
 with you ; name your own terms, and, if reasonable, 
 I'll go with you." 
 
 I had expected this turn to take place, so was not 
 at fault but determined to make him an offer, be- 
 lieving, as an additional inducement, that his yarns 
 would help to kill time very pleasantly of a long, 
 lone winter night. 
 
 " I'll give you a first-class winter outfit, provide 
 you with food the same as my own, find you in am- 
 munition, traps, &c. You can keep the pelt of 
 all the game you kill, you can trade on your own 
 account as long as you treat the Indians fairly, and I 
 will supply you with articles to do so to the amount 
 
58 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 of thirty dollars store price; and if you beliavo fairly 
 with me, I'll give you every assistance to get your 
 goods out when I break up camp ; in return for this 
 I am to bo boss (head of the party), you are to cut 
 up the firewood, and do a fair share of work either 
 in canoe paddling, camp kee))ing, shanty building, 
 and ])aeking home game. But if you should break your 
 contract, or 1 should desire to be rid of your society 
 on account of bad behaviour, before three months 
 are up, then you shall only retain your winter kit, 
 and obtain from me such provisions and amnmnition 
 as will suffice to bring you back to civilisation, retain- 
 ing also the furs you have trapped in the interim." 
 
 This, after some demur, was agreed to, so I had 
 a fac-similo drawn out, attested by witnesses, and to 
 which he attached the sign of a cross, for he could not 
 write. Antoine Fortler, however, was his name. 
 
 I having settled thus much, despatched him among 
 the Indians, who left in a day or two, to learn parti- 
 culars of their destination, and whether, if we joined 
 them, for a liberal remuneration, they would pack my 
 goods as far as our routes continued together. 
 
 Alone I should have hesitated to trust myself 
 among these miserable people, now that I had a white 
 companion I felt that such a course, although pos- 
 sibly still possessing risk, the chances were very much 
 lessened. 
 
A YKAR IN THE WILDEllNEbS. 
 
 5U 
 
 Ainon^ llio Indians I had noticed a bri^lit, plea- 
 sant-faced, lialf-starvcd, almost entirely unclothed 
 boy, about fourteen years of a^e. His miserable 
 state I could n(>t hel|) re^rettin^, so I gave him 
 a few coppers when cliancc threw him in my way. 
 Amon<^ his people he appeared to be without friends, 
 autl, conse(pU'ntly, the drudge of all. 
 
 One bitter bleak morning 1 nu't him at the tavern 
 door; he appeared to cower luuler the cold blast, and 
 so forlorn and destitute did he look, that compassion 
 for his situation took strong possession of me. So I 
 asked the little one into the kitchen and gave tlio 
 lad a regular blow out, very much to the disgust of 
 the low dirty Irish Biddy who operated as cook, and 
 whom, thank goodness, 1 had not seen before, or my 
 appetite would have been much lessened. Talk 
 of English schoolboys eating, the most voracious of 
 them would not have been a patch u])on my j^^'otcge. 
 And mind, his food was none of your cakes, buns, 
 blanc-mangcs, and that kind of finikin stufF, but 
 regular solid, hard substantial grub. In very truth, 
 I stood and wondered where on earth such a skilla- 
 garec could stow it all; however, I did not hurry him, 
 but waited patiently till he said enough, and nearly 
 choked over the effort. 
 
 Well, I took quite a liking to that boy, not on ac- 
 count of the powers of digestion he had exhibited, but 
 
M 
 
 i.oNi: life: 
 
 — nixl wlio would not that fi'lt as tlicy oupjlit to do?— 
 on account of liis desolate wretched condition, and that 
 at an a^e wlion cvorythin;^ should he the rcvcrso, 
 80 that in tlic trials of after life he nii<iht he ahle to 
 look hacU to a l)ri<^ht period in his existence. 
 
 After a dehatc in \\\y mind, sellish, no douht, for I 
 halanced tho advanta<^es and disa(lvanta<^es of havinp; 
 «ucli an attachment to mv retinue, the wind nlayed 
 an additional hornpipe round the; window-sill of my 
 bedroom, and the fircless apartment looked more 
 cheerless, and I shivered ; that shiver recalled tho 
 memory of the poor hoy out-doors, and the milk of 
 human kindness rapidly increased within me, and I 
 resolved to ask the little fellow to go with me, to 
 sliarc alike with me, hut ])ossihly, yes, possibly, 
 have to go on sliort connnons ; hut under any cir- 
 cumstances to he kindly treated and suitably clothed. 
 
 So, in the altcrnoon 1 broached the circumstance 
 to him, when his face lit up with joy. 
 
 " Go, would he go with me?" 
 
 " Yes, anywliere." 
 
 " Wiiose permission should I ask?" 
 
 *' No one care for me — got no friend." 
 
 Still I considered it riiiht to ask the members of 
 the camp "where he slept. All responded : 
 
 " Him was no use. Father dead, mother dead, him 
 die next winter, nobody care about him." 
 
 i 
 
 So 1 
 
 1 
 
 hnrn f 
 
 1 
 
 arount 
 
 1 
 
 clii'ap 
 
 i 
 
 "A 
 
 1 
 
 slight I' 
 
 P 
 
 almost 
 
 i 
 
 Christ 
 
 As II 
 behove 
 howevo 
 a fe^v 
 which 
 
 " Wl 
 filthy, ^ 
 
 '' Hec 
 
 '' Ihii 
 cxpediti 
 
 Scare 
 
 lloMJncr 
 
 'M si 
 
 it is easi 
 " Xo, 
 " We 
 and for 
 to by y( 
 and wo I 
 
A YEAn IK THE WlTDnnNESS. 
 
 CI 
 
 So I took lilin tlici'c and tluMi, foiiml ;i [)lacL' U\ tlio 
 hiwn for liim to .sli'op, i\ lur^o l)uffalo roljo to wrap 
 uroiuid liiiii) and next inornin^^ provided lilni witli 
 clicaji certainly, bnt warm ('lothin^^ 
 
 *• And no one could see why I should take tho 
 sliditest interest in the u«dv little hrat." These were 
 
 n tit 
 
 almost the verbatim words that several professing 
 Christians said to me. 
 
 As master and employer T did not consider that it 
 helioved me to mention the matter to Antoine; soon, 
 however, he found it out, and was very wroth. After 
 a few common-place remarks on the subject, to 
 ^Nliich I responiled little, he angrily commenced : 
 
 *' Why hamper ourselves with a dirty, unwashed, 
 filthy, ^ood-f()r-uothin<r, Ued-skin spawn like thati" 
 
 ^' IJecause I wish it." 
 
 '' Hut you arc a fool to be imposed upon ; the whole 
 expedition will be spoilt." 
 
 Searching' amon<^ my letters I found the agreement ; 
 holding it up, 1 said : 
 
 '' I su])pose you wish to break this contract, if so, 
 i^ is easily torn up and thrown in the fire." 
 
 " No, no, I don't mean that," he exclaimed. 
 
 " Well, then, if you intend keeping it, know once 
 and for ; , tliat I am boss, and will not be dictated 
 to by you or any one else. I have letters to write 
 and would be alone." 
 
62 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 m 
 
 Smirking and smiling lie retired, protesting all the 
 time that I misunder&tood him. Well, it may be 
 bettor that I did, for from that date it put an end to 
 any doubts who was commanding officer. 
 
 In the morning Antoinc visited me; he was all 
 good nature, and adhered to his former statement, 
 that I misunderstood him, that what he had said was 
 dictated by regard for my interest, afterwards in- 
 forming me that he had made arrangements with the 
 Indians to take my baggage to what he considered a 
 splendid hunting-ground, and at a price whicli ap- 
 peared to me very reasonable. 
 
 Then tlie morrow was fixed for the start. 
 
 Taking my protege and Skye with me, for the latter 
 now condescended to regard me as master, we took 
 our way to the former's late camp. Its inhabitants 
 were about to start north-west in a couple of days. 
 With envy they seemed to regard their late attach^, 
 on account, doubtless, of his ne\v clothes, which cer- 
 tainly neither fitted nor became him ; but when we bid 
 them good-bye, not a word of regret was expressed 
 at his departure. 
 
 Poor lad ! terrible would have been his fate among 
 them if they had run short of provisions, too young 
 and without means of providing foud for himself, they 
 would have driven him forth in the wilderness to die 
 of starvation. 
 
 V- 
 
 I; 
 
 \ 
 i 
 
 \ 
 
 The 
 
 on foot 
 
 and mj) 
 
 hundrec 
 
 in loads 
 
 more su 
 
 morning 
 
 ther wai 
 
 the firsi 
 
 very bo< 
 
 from otl; 
 
 the forei 
 
 As far 
 
 good sev 
 
 So far J 
 
 that I ( 
 
 working 
 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 63 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 e> 
 
 TnE first four days of our journey was performed 
 on foot. Besides the small packs Antoine, the boy, 
 and myself carried, we had about two and a half 
 hundredweight divided among the Indians, made up 
 in loads of about fifty pounds each. These I took no 
 more supervision of than to see that they left in the 
 mornmg and were delivered up at night. The wea- 
 ther was cool and bracing, and with the exception of 
 the first two days, when the walking was wet and 
 very boggy under foot, the ground was firm and free 
 from other impediments than fallen timber, and where 
 the forest was not dense, occasional clumps of brush. 
 As far as my judgment went, I should say that a 
 good seventy miles laid between us and Collingwood. 
 So far I had done no hunting, for the very reason 
 that I determined, until all were got into thorough 
 working order, pleasure should be sacrificed to busi- 
 
64 
 
 LONE LIFE : 
 
 ness, antl any attempt on my part to set a different 
 example would have been demoralising in the ex- 
 treme, and likely to result in the subversion of disci- 
 pline. 
 
 I have forgotten to add that, before quitting civi- 
 lisation, almost at the last house 'upon its outskirts, I 
 purchased from a squatter, farmer, or "whatever you 
 choose to call him, another dog, a thorough cur in 
 shape, if my judgment be not erroneous. I was 
 tempted to become the owner from the lowness 
 of price asked and the good looks of the intelligent 
 putative mother, who was unquestionably a veritable 
 ho7id fide col ley. The sire I could learn nothing 
 of — doubtless some stray Indian cur. 
 
 Ne\'er having had a previous knowledge of such a 
 cross, I hoped that the animal would turn out a 
 perfect treasure. If his excellence ever equals the 
 difficulty there was In catching him, and retaining 
 when caught, never was better value received for a 
 five dollar bill. For safe custody he was intrusted 
 to the care of my Indian lad, who was much de- 
 lighted with the responsibility of so valuable a 
 charge. 
 
 The first two days I noticed that they had occa- 
 sional differences of opinion ; latterly dislike seems to 
 have retired in favour of friendship, and if such a 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 65 
 
 happy state of affairs continues a day or two Ioniser, 
 Poteen, for so I have named him on account of the 
 whisky-loving physiognomy of his late owner, will be 
 released from leading strings and permitted to i)ick 
 his own way. Skye evinces an inveterate dislike to 
 him, so do the three or four curs belonn-infr to the 
 Indians ; doubtless before long his interest will tell 
 him who should be propitiated, for there are two 
 distinct cliques among the canines, the Scotch 
 clement and the Indian, and although the former is 
 very much in the minority numerically, if ever actual 
 hostilities break out, I would lay my money upon the 
 Gael. 
 
 Anxiety for the first night or two after getting 
 unil«r way, operated upon me much in the same 
 manner as upon the sailor getting clear of land, so 
 my sleep ;vas far from sound or refreshing ; not so 
 now, for I have scarcely finished my doch-an-darras 
 pipe when I am in the arms of Morpheus, little Skye 
 cuddling up, head and tail fashion, on my warmest 
 side, and so watchful is he that not a soul can ap- 
 proach my dormitory without his giving alarm. 
 
 Antoine he is not partial to — a bowing acquaintance 
 he certainly has with him, but nothing more. The 
 Indians he refuses to acknowledge at any price ; even 
 as to his food, he expects to receive it from me ; ordi- 
 
 VOL. I. F 
 
CG 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 nary well-picked bones, such as generally fall to « 
 (loff's lot, from other hands he would not dei^u to 
 touch, unless Potoen or one of the Indian curs cast a 
 longing eye upon it, then ideas of providing for the 
 morrow seem to strike him, when gingerly picking 
 up the despised morsel, on three legs, witli extra turn 
 in his tail he will trot off pompously into the buslt 
 and secrete it. Bless you, he's far too aristocratic 
 to be selfish ; possibly, who knows, but that lie thinks 
 that the scraps he treats thus, by the half-starved 
 canaille that happen for the present time to be his 
 fellow-travellers would be unappreciated. 
 
 The fifth night we encamped upon a beautiful dry 
 knoll covered with beech, maple, and birch, just sucli 
 a rise of ground as in some future day will be selected 
 for the site of a farm-house, from whence tlie country 
 for miles around can be overlooked. As far as I can 
 form an opinion without breaking the soil, the great 
 difficulty the agriculturalist will have to contend with 
 at first, on settling in this neighbourhood, will be the 
 quantity of stone scattered over the surface. The 
 soil itself appears remark iMy good, and especially 
 suitable for the cultivation of potatoes, hops, beans, 
 barley, or oats ; but I fear it is too northern a climate 
 for wheat to become a stajilc crop. 
 
 The first wolves that have yet been heard, sere- 
 
A YEATl IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 0)7 
 
 niided us to-ni<^]it ; tlicrc must liavc been lialf a 
 dozen in tlio troupe. Their feelings were certiiiidy 
 suffering from some grievous wrong, if the volume 
 and mournfulness of their notes arc to be taken as 
 an index. Of course, the Indian dogs could not re- 
 sist the inducement of chimlnii in the chorus ; even 
 Skve followed suit, a clear case of a prince fiddling 
 among professionals ; however, I overlooked the mat- 
 ter and did not censure him, as it is the first time 
 that my dog has forgotten to be a gentleman. 
 
 Turning out soon after daybreak, although the 
 Avater was icy cold I could not resist the temptation 
 of taking a bath ; however, a couple of minutes 
 inider a shower of spray sufficed, the reaction making 
 my skin the colour of a boiled lobster; but after 
 I got thoroughly dried and dressed, I felt I had 
 energy to undertake any mortal thing. An old 
 Indian, while I underwent my ablutions, sat upon a 
 bank wrapped in silent wonder; when finished, he 
 rose silently, uttered a single word and walked away ; 
 that word, when translated, meant lunatic. A wo- 
 man that once professed to love me very much, used 
 fre([uently to call me the same ; from her mouth I 
 considered it a term of endearment. It is this meta- 
 morphoslsing the use of words in our language that 
 causes its difficulty of comprehension to foreigners. 
 
 f2 
 
C8 
 
 LONE LIFE : 
 
 Our route to-day is north-east, so I tlctcrinine to 
 leave the trail and proceed nortli for two or three 
 'hours, then work eastward by north. When all 
 were started on the line of march I struck off into 
 the forest, half a dozen ball, and a couple of dozen 
 shot cartridges in my pockets, and Skye at my lieels. 
 The little iron-grey beauty evidently had been in the 
 society of a gun before, for lie hunted the cover 
 •around me with all the energy and industry of a 
 spaniel. Soon I found a family of ruffed grouse, 
 out of which I killed a brace, so frequently after- 
 wards repeating the performance that I soon liad as 
 many as I felt disposed to carry. Deer tracks were ex- 
 tremely numerous, but I had not seen their producers; 
 this might have been caused by my devoting myself 
 • entirely to the pursuit of the smaller game, or their 
 'being frightened by the occasional sharp bark of my 
 do(f. However I was not destined lonji to be denied 
 the honour, for under a beech-tree, evidently picking 
 up mast, I perceived a doe. Substituting ball for 
 shot, I tried to stalk her, but Skye became excited 
 and would not keep to heel, so lost me the shot. A 
 little longer acquaintance with my new companion, 
 and I feel certain, from his intelligent countenance, 
 that he will see the necessity of prompt and thorougli 
 -attention to my wishes. 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 69 
 
 Two liours, possibly a little more, I liad travelled 
 so far east by north, that I soon looked forward to • 
 striking the trail of my party. When crossing a fallen 
 tree, around which a tangle of briers had grown, a 
 fawn of the past spring jumped up almost under my 
 feet and bounded off. It was a nice clear casv shot, 
 and when about thirty-five yards off I tumbled it 
 literally in its own track. 
 
 Taking the heart and hvcr, I pursued my way,, 
 breaking every fifty yards a branch from a tree, or 
 limb from bush, to mark my course ; in half an hour 
 afterwards I struck the trail, where, leaving a bough, 
 I hurried after the baggage party. About half-past 
 three I overtook them preparing to camp for the 
 night on the margin of one of tlie most charming 
 little hikes I ever remember to have seen. 
 
 Its bosom was as calm as glass, not a ripple to be 
 seen unless when a loon or fish broke water. On its 
 placid surface reposed three picturesque rocky islands 
 covered densely v/ith coniferous and deciduous trees, 
 birch preponderating among the latter, their feathery 
 aerial limbs in many situations drooping down till 
 they almost kissed the water. 
 
 A couple of months ago, when the foliage was in 
 all the gorgeous colouringof autumn, this sequestered 
 spot must have looked like fairyland, for even under 
 
70 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 present circumstances, with all tlio lari!;er linrclwoocl 
 trees denuded of foliage, and a cold leaden sky over- 
 licad, it looked enchanting. 
 
 An old s(juaw and one of the younger Indians were 
 sent back for the fawn ; they returned ahout half- 
 past six, looking very nuuili knocked up by their 
 additional exertion. Tn our camp there was feasting 
 that night, and it was very late, I think i)ast mid- 
 night, before the (jourmcts ceased from ban<pieting. 
 
 Day broke wet and miserable ; the shirker of ex- 
 posure would have refused to turn out, and there was 
 an obvious intention manifested to adopt a similar 
 course, but I pretended not to see it, and l)y bustling 
 about soon shamed into activity the indolently dis- 
 posed. 
 
 The season was already so late that it was abso- 
 lutely necessary to push on, for although I expected 
 to be overtaken by winter before reaching our desti- 
 nation, still the nearer we got to it before that took 
 place the better ; moreover, this was our last marcli 
 on foot, for our next camping ground was on the 
 margin of a river where the canoes of our party are 
 secreted. 
 
 There are few thiufrs more disagreeable than a 
 marcli through woodland, where not only the ground 
 is saturated with moisture, but every limb supports 
 
 was mat 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 71 
 
 globules of water ; to brush against them you cannot 
 avoid, and the moisture ap])cars to penetrate furtlier 
 Avlien thus eome in contact with, than the rain itself. 
 Our tramj) was such a s])iritless affair from these de- 
 pressing influences tliat it very much resembled a 
 funeral procession, and scarcely a word was sjiokcn 
 till the sun burst forth about mid-day, his influenco 
 on the enern;y of all beinf;; truly remarkable. 
 
 Poteen has been ])ermitted to run at larfre ; he 
 evinces a ^rcat disposition to hunt, but objects 
 slightly to the report of a i^un ; some i^ame killed in 
 his presence will doubtless soon get him over this 
 very worst of faults. 
 
 Of all curs, and I have an intense dislike to the 
 race, 1 never saw such a despicable lot as accompany 
 our Indians, one In particular, a scantly, irregular- 
 clothed, sharp-nosed, prick-eared, diminutive, starved 
 brute. Inquiring from his owner why he kept such 
 a miserable wretch, only fit to ])e shot, he answered 
 ^' that he was the best bear, porcupine, and bird dog 
 that they had." After this conversation half an hour 
 had scarcely passed, when there was a sound to our 
 right of a worry going on ; immediately a stampede 
 was made to see the cause, your humble servant lead- 
 ing the race. We were not long kept in doubt, for 
 there was the dog whose character I had so ruthlessly 
 
 ■ii 
 
72 
 
 LONE life: 
 
 attempted to take away, pitclilnf; into a porenpino 
 much lieavk-r than himself. Tiie victiin sonu'hcjw or 
 other the cur liad turned upt)n its hacd\, rcnderiii;;^ its 
 armour of spines useless, at the same time exposing 
 the vulnerable stomach and chest, on whicii the assail- 
 ant's tusks were busily en;i;M<Ted. After the battle 
 was finished the plucky little vixen had not a wound. 
 I'll bet no Enijlish doic would have come olFscathless 
 from such a contest. 
 
 My pi'otnji'j I must not forget to savi has changed 
 very much in appearance. The first and most notice- 
 able indication of improvement in health, is his skin, 
 which has become moist and bright, instead of dry 
 and scaly as formerly. There is nothing in the Indian 
 races of North America that more surely denotes 
 their state of health than their hide. The lad also 
 has much improved in spirits, and his formerly ex- 
 prcssi(mless eye has become bright and observant. 
 Although he carries a pack I have taken good care 
 that he should not be overloaded, and so little does 
 he now regard it, that he and Poteen are ever to be 
 found about the van of the column. 
 
 For a mile before we had reached the anticipated 
 river the coniferous trees rapidly commenced to give 
 place to hardwoods, which gradually became less and 
 less abundant till we stood upon its banks. A noble 
 
A VEAn IN THE WlLDEllNESS. 
 
 IS 
 
 stream truly it is, made up of rapids, pools, and 
 reaches, with its course hxMpiently diviiled my minia- 
 ture islands. 
 
 The respective loads bein^ deposited on the sito 
 that wo were to camp, while the majority were 
 employed erectin;^ a shelter, collecting tirewood, or 
 cooking, four of the men departed to look for their 
 canoes, which were liid in a swamp some distance 
 off. 
 
 Next mornin<];, about two hours after sunrise thoy 
 returned, each paddling a birch-bark sufTiciently 
 large to carry six persons with comfort. As ex- 
 posure to the atmosj)lK'rc had made all of them 
 leak more or less, the remainder of the day was 
 spent caulking, refitting new ribs, or sewing up rents. 
 The iny;enuitv of the workmen and skill with whicli 
 they ])erf()rm their task being truly wonderfid. 
 
 Having taken a rougli observation of the course of 
 tlic river, I struck oil' into the bush. Deer tracks 
 wherever the soil was sufficiently soft to show the 
 impression of the animals' hoofs, were most abundant. 
 Before I had walked above two or three miles I saw 
 several, but they were evidently shy, either from 
 having heard the voices or chopping of my people, 
 or smelt the smoke from the camp-fires. At length, 
 however, I came across half a dozen together; two 
 
74 
 
 LONU LIFE : 
 
 were stuudin^') the others l}'Ing down. One of the 
 former, a well-fed, hir^M and restles.s-k)okIng doe, np- 
 |)eurt'd to he ^niard to the party, and as some minutes 
 ehipsed l)ef()re 1 was within ran^^e, lier uneasiness 
 ulurmed all and euused them to j^ain their feet. 
 
 It eould not he the win*! that had warned them, 
 for it was hlowliif^ from tiuin to me, hut some lind) 
 1 had trod on, tho sound of wliich hreakin*^ unno- 
 tieed hy myself, had been deteeteil hy their sensitive 
 hearin<:j. 
 
 The watejiful doe, who was apparently in the 
 prinu'st eondition, was the first I took si^ht at. At the 
 report she sprung into the air, staggered forward 
 about twenty paces and fell; the second barrel fired 
 at the rearmost of the now retreating family party 
 was less fiucccssful, for the (juarry went off, hit 
 1 believe ; for few are inclined to acknowledge even 
 to themselves that they have made a really bad shot. 
 
 Another morning of rain ; too bad, as J desired 
 very nuich to be alforded an oi)portunity of admiring 
 the grand scenery which I feel convinced guards 
 this river on either side, for it is impossible that such 
 a lovely picture as rapids, pools, reaches, and islands, 
 could be without a fitting setting. However, I must 
 not grumble, things might be worse, moreover rain 
 must fall, however objectionable it may occasionally 
 
A YEAU IN THE WILDERNKSS. 
 
 75 
 
 be, psirtlcuhirly to thosi* that are without shchiT; fine 
 (h'v weather is certainly duli^litfiil, but an unintcr- 
 rnpti'd succession of it would soon phiy niischiof 
 with tho vcrretahk! world, and what then would bcconio 
 of the animal kintrdoni ? 
 
 One nii^dit as well expect the year to f:;lide away 
 without bad weather, as to pass throui:;h life without 
 a rub of adversity — they both do «;oo(l you may rely 
 upon it, and the easiest way to feel their stings less 
 ])(>i(rnant is to think so. 
 
 An advantaf^e that eanoe travelling ])088ei8CS over 
 walkiiii^, is that you can niutlle yourself up so as 
 to escape a j^reat deal of the drift, and you are not con- 
 stantly saluted with bouf^hs loaded with moisture, that 
 ap])ear to Imagine their express duty to be to rc- 
 chrision you, and this they do with no niggardly 
 hand. 
 
 IJut as before, at noon the sun exhibited his jolly 
 roseate face, the fog momentarily after became 
 thinner, and that that would not be absorbed politely 
 floated ofT, doubtless with the hope of escaping de- 
 struction, a hope not to be realised. 
 
 Talk of laughing waters, lierc they were in perfec- 
 tion ; and so infectious became their exam])le that 
 both canoes and passengers followed the example as wo 
 glided, bounded, staggered, and again rushed onwards. 
 
7G 
 
 LONE LIFE : 
 
 It was a wild reckless race : the canoes, although 
 handicapped with a freight, still striving whetlicr 
 they could beat the rapids iu their velocity }>ast rocks, 
 driftwood, and trees. The Indians looked ha})pyj 
 the dogs pleased, and I felt an exuberance of s])irit, 
 a freedom from restraint, a recklessness of danger 
 that was truly delightful. 
 
 At three hours by sun wo had gone a long way, 
 and the river, which now had become exhausted, and 
 therefore sluggish from its former exertions, in- 
 creased much in breadth. Our paddles appearing 
 to be li.'uidled with scarcely the former energy, I 
 thought of calling a halt, when a turn of a tree-clad 
 point of land revealed the broad expanded surface of 
 a lake, a sea almost in size ; and scarcely had I made 
 tliis discovery ere our prows were turned to shore, 
 ihe cargoes were rapidly transferred to the beach, 
 and ever}' one of the party became engaged in en- 
 d'iavourinc; to unravel some most intricate knot his 
 limbs had got twisted into while sitting in the bottom 
 of the canoe. 
 
 ToAvards ovcnJniT I took a stroll. Euffcd fjrouse 
 appeared everywhere. So abundant were they, that if 
 I was r.ot awr,re that they did not migrate, I should 
 have thougiit they had assembled for that purpose. 
 Yes, this country is Avell stocked with game, and that 
 
A YE.Vn IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 77 
 
 fellow knows it, and lins profited hy his knowlodgo — 
 a bald-lieadcd oniric — or he would not be slttijig 
 there so indolontlv with his cruel, relentless, vindic- 
 tlve eyes fixed on me, although not more than a hun- 
 dred yards sever us. I had a great mind to put a 
 bullet in a barrel and tmnble him from his perch 
 — vou sec two of a trade seldom am'ce — but didn't. 
 I suppose the knowledge that he was first in posses- 
 sion of this demesne, and tlius had a prior claim, 
 prevented me. 
 
 A bleak cold camp, ajid a sleepless night, did not 
 make me feel either good-tempered or anxious for 
 exertion ; but the Indians are np and doing, a 
 heavy, dark, drop-curtain of a cloud rising in the 
 nordi stimulating them to renewed vigour to reduce 
 the dist incc betveen themselves and home. If I am 
 any judge of the Wf^atlier — which I am not — it will 
 snow before long. 
 
 Striking across a wide bay, \^e soon caught a nice 
 stiff breeze, such }is amateur sailors — such gentle- 
 men, I mean, as the expression is I'ather ambiguous, 
 who wear blue reefing-jackets and white flannel trou- 
 sers, canvas shoes and loud-patterned shirts, stvaw 
 hats with blue ribbon, on which are emblazoned femi- 
 nine names in gold letters, -who prefer belts to braces, 
 although half their time is occupied In tugging their 
 
 1. u. 
 
78 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 netlicr apparel up to prevent it from falling down — 
 yes, just siieli a breeze as tliey would desifrnate a i^^ale 
 when they <^ot on shore and joined the society of cou- 
 sins Lou and P'lorence, or chat Avitli those (;harniin<^ 
 distlnf/iif; girls (^soUo voce let mc say their father was 
 once a nnite, but has lately amassed a fortune as an 
 undertaker). The young ladies simper and look in- 
 credulous, for there has scarcely been a breath of 
 "wind on shore ; however, they are reminded that the 
 most severe gales are local ; the late experience of 
 the gallant amateurs is undoubtedly an instance of 
 it, and from that moment Jones and Smith arc 
 heroes. 
 
 I am afraid there is a tinge of satire in what 
 I have just said ; if there is not, I intend it, 
 for between ourselves — it need not go any further 
 you know — for a Avhole week I had been paying most 
 devoted attention to such a nice girl, told her all my 
 best stories, discussed typhoons, cyclones, and hurri- 
 canes, adventures among niggers, Malay pirates, and 
 South Sea Islanders — in fact, taken her all over the 
 world, in imagination of course, and introduced her 
 to every rock, nook, or cranny that I had ever visited, 
 and would you believe it — 1 am certain you will not 
 unless I back it up with strong language — by jingo ! 
 she cut mc for such an amateur sailor as I have so 
 
 feebly 
 almost 
 With 
 duty of 
 rily, aiK 
 auticlpa 
 <<f snow 
 it was 
 hef'-rchf 
 would b 
 to what 
 i''rf.iTi 
 
 miles; tl 
 
 so a day 
 
 I went 
 
 liavino; I 
 
 considere 
 
 day, so I : 
 
 on the UK 
 
 cceded wl 
 
 from my 
 
 and I was 
 
 With the 
 
 she flound 
 
 go left to , 
 
 she gained 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 'a 
 
 fcc'ljly attempted to tleseribe, ami by tJovc, I liad 
 almost forgotten to add, tlu; fellow wore an eye-r]^lass t 
 
 With dirty blankets hoisted on ])addles to do the 
 duty of sails, we skinmied over the water riglit mer- 
 rily, and by night had made double the distance wo 
 anticipated, and during the whole day not a flake 
 ui snow fell. It would pay a fellow to kec[) me, if 
 it was a matter of conse([uencc for him to know 
 bcf"'rchn'id how the weather was going to be, for he 
 would be certain to be right if he backed the reverse 
 to what I predicted. 
 
 I'ri'iTi our present camp we have a portage of three 
 miles ; the canoes of course have to be carried across^ 
 so a day will be lost in the performance. 
 
 I went over with the first load after breakfast, and 
 liaving backed across a pack of fifty pounds weight,, 
 considered myself entitled to the remainder of the 
 dav, so I started down the stream on which we embark 
 on the morrow. Not more than lialf a mile had I pro- 
 ceeded when I surprised a doe moose swimming across 
 from my side to the other. As she had not seen me 
 and I was close, I found time to alter my shot for ball. 
 With the first barrel I hit her very hard, so hard that 
 she floundered heavily ; but still I think had sufiiclent 
 go left to get off, so I put in the second at the moment 
 she 2;ained her footino" before reaching the shore. On 
 
 o o o 
 
80 
 
 LONE LIFE : 
 
 receiving tlic bull tlie poor thing roaclied her back 
 so higli that she a])pcared unable to get her feet to 
 the ground ; a few steps she moved forward, then fell 
 upon her head against the bank. Having now 
 enough fresh meat and to spare, 1 sauntered ])aek to 
 camp, and spent the afternoon gun cleaning, washing 
 clothes, and darning socks. Although thus employed 
 I could not help observing the immense quantities of 
 wild-fowl following up the coiu'sc of the river ; as 
 their flight was high they were doubtlessly nu'grating 
 south. 
 
 Antoiue I see very little of, my appearance or 
 manner evidently have not favourably impressed 
 him, so we seldom exchange above half a dozen 
 words at a time ; s.'ill that docs not prevent my no- 
 ticing tl^at he looks sulky and far from amicable in 
 frame of mind. At the same time I will do him the 
 credit to say, he never shirks his work, or gives me 
 anv occasion to find fault. 
 
 This evenins he informed me that to-morrow we 
 shall be at our winter quarters, a most gratifying 
 piece of intelligence, so all night I kept conjuring 
 up what kind of place the site of our future home 
 was to be. 
 
 Next evening at sunset iny curiosity was satisfied* 
 and I may add gratified. It was a comparatively 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 81 
 
 open piece of tnrf-covcred land, sparsely covered with 
 trees that, from the river makiiiir a bend, formed 
 a promontory. Thvj throat of a rapid enclosed by 
 hii:;h rocks was above the situaticm I selected for the 
 slianty, beneath was a long placid pool, fringed in 
 places by alder and birch. 
 
 VOL. I. 
 
 G 
 
82 
 
 LONE LIFE : 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 In the morning, after vainly attempting to per.siiadi' 
 tlie Indians to remain a clay or two longer, so that J 
 might have their services in house building, they 
 de])arted. I feel certain that the poor fellows were 
 ■willing enough ; but the head man, pointing to the 
 ducks that were still flying from the uortli In undi- 
 minished quantities, said : 
 
 " Winter soon come now, and Indian got long 
 "way to go." 
 
 After paying them they thanked me, and were evi- 
 dently amply satisfied. But when they were about 
 to go, I added a few trifling presents to what they 
 had already received, and tUeir gratitude was strongly 
 expressed in looks, although in few words. I sat 
 upon the bank and saw the last of them ; as they were 
 disappearing round the first bend in the stream, I 
 gave them a cheer ; long after the trees had shut thriri 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 83 
 
 out of si<fl)t I licarcl tliem answering. 80 much for 
 the iiiucli [ihuscil race. 
 
 I felt low-s]ii*rlto(l wlicn 1 turned towards my 
 future home. To <»ive way to it was snnply al)surd, 
 and to ^et ^ct rid of it there was noihini;- like work, 
 so I ^ot hohl of my axe and set to cutting u[) and 
 clearing away brush with a tliorougli goodwiU. 
 
 In tlie mean time Antolne was constructing near 
 at hand a very snug bush camp in case snow com- 
 menced to fall, or severe weather impeded our wcn'k. 
 Over a respite in our labours, the size and plan of 
 our shanty was settled, viz., twelve feet by eight, 
 with a door at one end and a look-out hole at the 
 other, to be kept closed except in fine weather, or when 
 required for purposes of observation. A fireplace was 
 not required, for we had got a stove made from sheet 
 iron, that shut up like a pigeon trap, and several 
 sheets of tin with solder and rosin with which to 
 make piping. That afternoon and the next two days 
 were employed cutting and notching logs, or roll- 
 ing them with handspikes to our future building site. 
 
 Antoine I found a most skilful fellow in the use 
 of an axe, and a perfect genius in all matters calcu- 
 lated to make a person feel at home in the woods in 
 the shortest imaginable space of time. 
 
 I had been watching his deftness, while taking a 
 
 g2 
 
84 
 
 LON'E LIFE: 
 
 piifT at my pli)0, for I hiid been rather severely tried 
 in rolling, as I considered, an unnecessary lar<^e lo^up 
 an incline into its place, when both dogs sprung to 
 their legs, and barking vociferously, rushed down bj 
 the bank of the river. Looking in the direction I saw 
 an Indian approaching. Calling off Skye and Poteen 
 the stranger came directly to us. He was a tall, well- 
 built, very good-looking for his race, old man. 
 
 In answer to my salutation he gave a grunt, then 
 stood leaning upon his gun for quite an hour in one 
 position, without opening his lips, I in the mean time 
 going about my business as if no one was there. 
 Feeling a desire for another pipe, I pulled out my 
 pouch, loaded up, lit it from an ember,^ and com- 
 menced to blow a cloud. The Indian's countenance 
 lit up. I held the pouch towards him, lie took it, filled 
 his pipe, and sat down beside mo. 
 
 At length he got up, said : " I go home, you good 
 man, Indian say so," and turned on his heel and 
 marched off. Give a dog a bad name, and you may 
 hang him, give him a good one and you may let him 
 live ; so I looked now forward to not being cut off in 
 
 the bloom of 1 was going to say youth, but will 
 
 substitute manhood. 
 
 *' Well, how did that tarnation Red-skin know we 
 were here ?" inquired Antoine, after he had departed. 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 85 
 
 good 
 and 
 
 irted. 
 
 ^' Blost If T know," I responded. 
 
 For some time my companion srratched liis head 
 and afterwards hit his nails, hoth actions hein«^ cal- 
 culatoil to assist thon<^ht. In a few minutes after, 
 havini^ received henetit from tlie proceeding, ho 
 favoured me with tlic result. 
 
 '' I guess the hidians that packed our load across, 
 told him." 
 
 This solution of the difficulty was the only one I 
 could thiidc of. 
 
 In the morning before we had fnilshed breakfast 
 the old chief, for so I have learned he is, turned up 
 again, and with him two young men, each about three 
 or four-and-twenty. When we commenced work they 
 turned to also, and soon our structure grew rapidly 
 under the efforts of our increased force. Little now 
 was wanting but the roof — this they understood, and 
 that evening we had birch bark enough to make it. 
 
 Next morning I told the old chief, who had n"tw 
 become a little more loquacious, that I wanted a 
 canoe, pointing to Antoine and the boy as the number 
 of inmates it was to carry. In the evening he left 
 us, and the following night he arrived with exactly 
 what I required. His companions now were two girls ; 
 judging from appearance the elder was about eighteen, 
 the other two years younger. Their home was evi- 
 
86 
 
 LONE LIFE : 
 
 (Iciitly tlowii the river, for that wiis tlio dlroctiun from 
 wlicnco tliey had conio. 
 
 Two (hiys after our roof was finislied lieavy snow 
 coinniuiiced to fall, preventing ail description of ont- 
 door labonr; hut there was an ahnndaneo of work 
 for all to do inside. The Indians, whom I paiil 
 liberally, for I wished to propitiate thcin, left ; and 
 wc were a<rain alone in our solitude. 
 
 Although some time has passed we are not yet 
 finisheil in our labour, new holes are constantly being 
 discovered in the walls that require fresh chinking, 
 and articles of luxury, such as chairs and tables, 
 to be rebuilt, fi'om legs being irregular lengths, or not 
 sufficiently firndy put together. ►Still the little place 
 has assumed a home-like look, tind the dogs snarl 
 and growl at each other as if each was jealous of the 
 comfort the other enjoyed. 
 
 Antoine has done good work and not spared him- 
 self, moreover he has become more agreeable, and does 
 not hesitate when the humour is on him to tell of his 
 adventures in the Kocky ^loinitains, of his })erform- 
 ances in shooting buffalo and g- izzlies. He had con- 
 cluded a long yarn one night, and finished off by 
 regretting that I had never visited that region. 
 Waiting for him to quite finish, I told him I knew 
 all about it, and had spent a long time there. 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 87 
 
 I lis eyes f>ponctl and continued <loin<:; 550, till an 
 ohscrvcr nil^lit liavo imagined tlioy objcctod to a 
 Ijiiilf^e l)L't\vi'on them, and there and then intended 
 to do away with it. 
 
 Tlic Indian lad was most willinf; and ohhgin^; 
 r;ijii(lly his figure increased in size, but thi? way liis 
 [launch grew was somctliing N\<)iulerful. It is cer- 
 tainly a useful portion of a man's body, but that is 
 no reason it should be allowed to take liberties. 
 
 Altogether we were most coniCortablc, and had 
 every reason to be grateful to l*ro\idence for having 
 subtended to us such a succession of good luck. 
 
 Having succeeded now in making the interior 
 wcatlier-tight, and constructed the few articles of 
 furniture necessary, also got the routine of our daily 
 life into a regular groove, I consider that I am fairly 
 entitled to take my leisure and enjoy the field 
 sports and pleasures of a life for which I have coma 
 so far. 
 
 Already I have got a pretty good idea of the plan 
 of the country within a mile of the shanty, and have 
 learned that the river for upwards of ten miles runs 
 from the south nearly due north, not making allow- 
 ance for bends and elbows, so if I iiave the misfor- 
 tune at any time to get lost on the east side of the 
 stream, by travelling west by compass I am pretty 
 certain to find it, and vice versa. 
 
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 C/j 
 
 
 » s 
 
b8 
 
 LONE LIFE ; 
 
 « 
 
 I am more than an ordinarily good hand in the 
 woods, still I am not an Indian, and previous ex- 
 perience has taught me that it is better not to be 
 too reliant on my power of finding my way, especially 
 through dense swamp and heavily clad ridges of 
 pine, where everything you see around you appears 
 a perfect counterpart of what you may have passed 
 hours before; so at least for the present I am re- 
 solved not to go far from home without having the 
 reliable company of my compass. 
 
 I have discovered already that, however good an 
 axe-man Antoine is, that he is but indifferently fond 
 of hunting, for now we are at our destination, in 
 the middle of our preserve, he neither expresses any 
 desire to commence the campaign against the moose 
 and cariboo, but has even ceased to expatiate on 
 his former exploits in their pursuit. He does not 
 even care about accompanying me, always having 
 the excuse that his traps must be looked to, for 
 that trapping "make almighty more dollars than 
 burning powder." In this there is a certain amount 
 of truth, at the same time hunting must be done to 
 enable us to live to carry on trapping, and it is clearly 
 evident that my attendant expects me to supply him 
 with food while he collects a good pack of furs for 
 the next season's market. 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 89 
 
 Although this is quite contrary to our arrange- 
 ment, still I suppose it is better to submit to the im- 
 position. As I never expectt:- to make money out of 
 my trip, or even make it pay the light expenses which 
 at most it can only incur, still, if I have a wish in the 
 matter, and I have further the idea that such wish 
 deserves humouring, I would rather for some time 
 to come hunt in society than alone. Of course the 
 Indian boy could be taken, and a clever, smart, 
 obliging lad he is, but some person is required at the 
 shanty when both the Frenchman and self are 
 absent, for our evening meal has got to be prepared, 
 and who knows some visitors might arrive when least 
 expected, who finding no one to protect my property, 
 consider themselves justified in appropriating to 
 their own use what struck their fancy. I have known 
 such things occur before, and experiences of the kind 
 are those dearly learned lessons which ought not to 
 be forgotten. 
 
 My Indian neighbours I am not mnch afraid of ; 
 they have not mixed enough with traders, or fre- 
 quented the vicinity of settlements enough to have 
 become sufficiently contaminated to be thieves, and 
 if they did so far forget themselves, they reside 
 so close to me that I should sooner or later discover 
 their peccadillo, and either through the aid of a high 
 
90 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 hand, or through the assistance of the chief, who 
 really appears an aristocratic old fellow, be able to 
 obtain redress. 
 
 No, it is the white trapper, trader, lumberman, or 
 voyageur, that is to be dreaded, for very many, I 
 won't say all that adopt these lives, are the sweepings 
 of society. And although I hope to see none of 
 these worthies, still there is no telling what may 
 cause them to leave their ordinary route, and by 
 chance pass my residence, when they would not fail 
 to land and gratify their curiosity with a " look at the 
 outlandish home, that some half-cracked s(juatter or 
 blarsted Johnny Bull had chosen." 
 
 Well, " sufficient is the evil for the day thereof," 
 and I have no idea, certainly no hope, to be honoured 
 by a visit till after winter has passed by any one of 
 my own colour. 
 
 The weather one morninrr beinff admirable for 
 creeping, id est, stalking cariboo, for the snow is soft 
 and the timber wet, I started soon after break of day 
 to see how much luck was in store for me. On my 
 way through the large timber I saw a great many 
 spruce grouse, which I desisted from shooting at from 
 a desire not to alarm the neighbourhood, and so get a 
 fair opportunity to note what stock of large game the 
 locality supported. I also came across the track of a 
 very large moose, who, judging from his stride, must 
 
A YEAR IN THE "WILDERNESS. 
 
 91 
 
 have been on urgent private affairs, so I left him to 
 liis duty, only hoping that we should yet meet. 
 
 I had gone nearly three miles before I came across 
 cariboo tracks, the first I observed being rather stale, 
 so I disregarded them, getting by degrees into more 
 sparsely timbered land where more and fresher indica- 
 tions were numerous. Pushing duo east for some 
 minutes I came out on a barren, very park-like in 
 scenery, and well scored over with prints, so much so 
 that it was like what might have been expected in a 
 densely populated deer park ; however, I could see no 
 game. Knowing from past experience, if you once dis- 
 turb cariboo, they go right off out of the neighbour- 
 hood, not stopping till they have placed miles between 
 themselves and the object of their dread, I retuined 
 into the friendly shelter of the timber and determined 
 to retain it till I saw my quarry. The reindeer is a large 
 animal, still it is most difficult to see when in a state 
 of repose, so much so that the uninitiated would 
 scarcely believe that possibly the place on which his 
 eyes were fixed, not a hundred and fifty yards off, and 
 not superabundantly stocked with brush, sheltered 
 four or five of these noble animals. Such was almost 
 my case, for I had most carefully inspected a little 
 copse of dwarf hemlock and hazel from the back of 
 a log, and had all but come to the conclusion that it 
 was tenantless, when a deer rose like something that 
 
9S 
 
 LONE LIFE : 
 
 had been shoved up through the earth, exactly where 
 I had gazed several minutes and perceived notliing. 
 
 The trails around had made me cautious, they 
 were so fresh and numerous, yet up to this moment 
 I had sighted nothing, and almost commenced to 
 think that the producers of them had been gifted 
 with the power of turning invisible ; but such fancies 
 were now dis])elled. 
 
 Being desirous of making certain of my quarry, 
 I changed my situation and advanced under shelter 
 of the side of a largo decayed prostrate tree, to 
 within seventy yards. I had an admirable broad- 
 side shot ; the stricken beast staggered, spun round, 
 and lurched forward on its head, four others, in 
 the mean time, jumping up and making off, all 
 of them nearer to me than the creature I had shot ; 
 still I had not previously noticed them, in fact their 
 sudden appearance on the scene startled me so much, 
 for it was so thoroughly unexpected, apparently im- 
 possible, that they had gone too far before I thought 
 of giving one of them the second barrel. 
 
 In an hour more I obtained another shot most un- 
 expectedly. A cariboo I had not previously seen, 
 jumped up within twenty yards of me, and I broke 
 his hip before he had gone double that distance, and 
 a smashed hind l((g, not like a fore one, puts a certain 
 stopper on further progression. While examining this 
 
 ^ 
 
 beaut 
 specie 
 upo?i 
 fur a J 
 I re 
 result? 
 assiste 
 the gar 
 by one 
 selectee 
 On a 
 the cam 
 would 
 the woe 
 miles, a 
 the lad 
 hours, f 
 wigging, 
 that he 
 Moreove 
 travelling 
 nightly v 
 found he 
 trusted \ 
 landscape 
 
 Next 
 daughters 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 93 
 
 beauty, wliich liad much more wliite about it than tho 
 species usually possess, I observed four cariboos out 
 upoJi the barren, and apparently admirably situated 
 fur a stalk, but having killed enough meat I desisted. 
 
 I returned to the shanty perfectly satisfied with the 
 results of my exploration, and feel certain that if 
 assisted by two or three companions who would keep 
 the game moving, half a dozen might easily be killed 
 by one gun between mo: »iing and night from a well- 
 selected stand. 
 
 On arriving at home I despatched the Indian boy to 
 the camp of my red neighbours to request that they 
 would give me assistance to drag the game out of 
 the woods. Although the distance was quite ten 
 miles, and the ground covered with soft damp snow, 
 the lad performed his errand and was back in eight 
 hours, for which amount of expedition he got a good 
 wigging, I never for a moment wishing or supposing 
 that he would think of returning the same night. 
 Moreover, I had my fears for a child of his age 
 travelling over such a long solitary reach, for wolves 
 nightly were heard around the shanty, and the species 
 found here, the large grey wolf, is not always to be 
 trusted when winter has placed her stamp on the 
 landscape. 
 
 Next morning the old chief, his squaw, two 
 daughters, and a young hunter arrived ; for a portion 
 
04 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 of tlie meat and a plug of tobacco tlicy agi'cod to 
 pack botli the carcases liomo. Their liunters, they 
 said, '^ liad very bad hunt this season, their ]>owder so 
 very bad." This I couhl quite believe, for the trash 
 the traders often foist off on these primitive people 
 is truly disgraceful. 
 
 For instance, I have known twenty-five pounds of 
 gunpowder transformed into fifty by the addition to 
 it of an equal quantity of charred wood ; the result 
 is that the Indian must, literally speaking, almost be 
 touching his game before he is certain of bringing 
 it to bag. The poor old chief remarked to me so feel- 
 ingly, that I could not help commiserating him, that 
 " My people be very hungry before this winter over, 
 I guess." Not if I can help it, I mentally resolved. 
 
 As no snow had fallen my back track told them the 
 way. Two trips they made that day, and in them 
 backed home the two cariboos, therefore the party can 
 scarcely have walked less than twenty-five miles, and 
 the greater part of the journey bearing a heavy 
 load, over ground slippery and wet, in every way 
 unsuited for travelling. I think that there are few 
 Englishmen could do the same ; yet these people are 
 slight in their build, impressing one more with an 
 appearance of agility than strength. 
 
 It was quite evident to me that evening, as we sat 
 
A YEAH IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 95 
 
 over our aftcr-suppcr i)Ii)o, that Antoino was smitten 
 with the charms of the youngest daughter, a stout, 
 compact, good-natured, little round-faced girl of about 
 sixteen ; for much of his conversation was addressed 
 to her, and his eyes, when his tongue was silent, 
 seemed to regard her as the centre of attraction. The 
 old squaw did not apparently object, but rather the 
 reverse, possibly being pleased with the idea of pos- 
 sessing a white son-in-law. Thus it will be seen that 
 match-making mothers are not confined to Belgravia, 
 Brixton, and Dalston, but arc to be found in the wig- 
 wams of the redoubted Kcd-man. When it was 
 time to turn in, courtesy did not induce me to give 
 up my bunk, so the chief and his family fell asleep 
 on the green cariboo hides, tlieir blankets with some 
 of mine forming their covering, the remainder of 
 the party finding a sleeping place on the other end of 
 the floor. So many human beings packed in so small 
 a dormitory, I felt convinced was not conducive to 
 health ; in fact, I thought that, if it long continued, 
 we would become like a bait kettle overstocked with 
 minnows ; but, under the circumstances, what could 
 I do but submit, for it was out of the question to 
 send them forth into the snow-clad woods after their 
 exertions of the previous day. 
 
«l< 
 
 96 
 
 LONE LIFE : 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 In tlic morning after all had partaken of an ample 
 breakfast, I discharged in full my liabilities, adding 
 a pound of good gunpowder for the old man, a very 
 seedy wide-awake for the old lady, a string of beads 
 for each of the girls, and half a dozen fish-hooks 
 for each of the others. All departed happy, and pro- 
 mised soon to renew their visit. 
 
 I wish very much to keep on good terms with these 
 primitive people. Such a desire is not dictated solely 
 from a want of selfishness, for they may be to me of 
 the greatest use ; so if treating them fairly, and never 
 swerving one iota from my promises, will make them 
 friends, I have resolved that they shall be. 
 
 Antoine, who has been tolerably successful with 
 his traps heretofore, has lately had a run of bad 
 luck. This he accounts for by a wolverine, or glutton, 
 having discovered them, which follows him ; devours 
 
 i*-. 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 97 
 
 all the baits, and fiprings his traps. Tho last part 
 of the story I scarcely believe, although I liavo 
 heard this animal accredited with such malpractices 
 before. 
 
 Thus he is perfectly disheartened at this contre- 
 teinpSf and actually proposes changing our residence, 
 a thing I will not for a moment listen to. Almost 
 snivelling, certainly in such whining accents as nearly 
 approach it, ho says : 
 
 " No use for me to set any more traps then ; if I 
 stop here my winter hunt spoiled, for that devil never 
 leave here while I set a trap." 
 
 " Why don't you trap him then ?'* 
 
 " Oh I he know too much ; he know enough to 
 keep an hotel." 
 
 After such an assertion I concluded that the effort 
 would be useless. 
 
 A few days after he came in whining as usual, 
 and imprecating his bad luck ; it was needless tiying 
 to pacify him, to all I could say he had one retort : 
 
 " I poor man, my winter hunt spoilt, what do you 
 care?" &c. 
 
 At length I got him to listen to me. I promised 
 to go his round, with him in the morning, and we 
 would devise some means of outwitting the ma- 
 rauder. His countenance, however, clearly expressed 
 
 VOL. I. H 
 
98 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 that ho thought I must be a fool to think I could 
 trap a wolverine. 
 
 It yvM snowinf^ fiently in the morning when we 
 started ; the lino of traps lay for some distance along 
 the river, then ceased for a mile or two till we 
 reached a miniature lake, on the margin of which he 
 had three. True enough the baits were all gone, and 
 several of the traps sprung ; so the snivel commenced 
 to reappear on my conu'ade's countenance when the 
 last was reached. 
 
 ■ I was rather at my wit's end to devise a stra- 
 tagem that promised success. At length a thought 
 struck me, and I resolved to act upon it. 
 
 "Pick up your traps, Antoine, and bring them 
 along." 
 
 Without a question he did so; following our previous 
 course backwards we soon had them all gathered. 
 
 ** Well, now, where do you get your bait from ? 
 where is it, man ?" In a moment he produced it. 
 
 " Now," said I, *' set your trap." A look certainly 
 not denoting confidence in my skill as a trapper 
 passed over his countenance ; but he did exactly what 
 I told him, and possibly with more than usual care. 
 " Well, now, take all the other traps, about a dozen in 
 number, and place them at short distances around it." 
 This he did also. 
 
 " We'll just stop here till the snow covers them," 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDEUKESS. 
 
 n 
 
 I contiiiuetl; for the snow was coining down fast by 
 this tiino, and wo did so till Jiot a vostigo of one was to 
 bo seen. Then wo started for homo, I wishing with 
 all my heart that my device would turn out successful. 
 In the morning — I doubting still hoping — we returned. 
 The ground was tramped down in every direction^ 
 while two of the traps were gone. An extraordinary 
 track led towartls the woods ; this we followed, and 
 soon overtook the object of our pursuit; which had a 
 trap on a fore and another on a hind foot, a pair of 
 hoots that did not add to his powers of locomotion. 
 
 So vicious looked om* foe, and so determined to do 
 mischief if within reach of his pursuers, that I gave 
 liim the contents of a barrel at most destructive 
 short range. He did not rob any more traps, I can 
 vouch for. 
 
 From that date I was a great hunter in Antoinc's 
 estimation, if credence v/as to be placed in what he 
 said. Over and over again ho narrated the whole 
 affair to the Indians, a dozen times I am sure I 
 listened to it ; but this I will say that, like old and' 
 simple stories we knew in our childhood, it was revived 
 with variations and did not diminish in lustre. 
 
 Antoine's success was all he could desire after the- 
 above episode, and for the present no further mentioa. 
 was made by him of leaving the shanty. *< 
 
 u2 
 
100 
 
 LONK Lll-'K: 
 
 Allliou^li tlio rivor is frozi'ii across, wo ftiv ni'vor 
 Nliort of lisl) Nvlu*n tlu* Nvcatlicr is MuiliiMeiitlv mild to 
 ponnit our t^oiii^ out to i-jipturo tlieiu. Our luodos 
 of ]>ro('oo(Un^ U) ac('on»|»lisli our object aro so novel 
 to the IOn<L;lisli sportsman, that at least they ileservo 
 explanation. 
 
 First a hole is cut in the ico and over it is built a 
 hut suflicionlly lar«;c for a person to sit in. This 
 diminulivo shelter is made as dark as possible, an 
 opening; only bein«j; left in the roof for tho uninter- 
 rupted passa<;eof the pole of the fisherman's fish spear. 
 
 Tile sportsman inside the structure must be pro- 
 vided with a live bait, or if such is not procurable a 
 wooden representative of one, loaded underneath 
 with' lend to keep it uprii^ht. Whichever of these 
 used is lowered into the orifice in the ice, and 
 frecjuontly drawn to the surface, the fisherman in the 
 mean time holdiiig in his right-hand the spear, or 
 more properly grains, with whicli he intends to strike 
 his prey. At length ii hungry trout has seen the 
 lure and follows it to the surface, hovering about the 
 ice-hole anxious for a chance to gratify his appetite. 
 Down comes the spear, the victim is shoved to the 
 bottom till the barbs have passed through him, when 
 he is leisurely drawn to the surface, and thrown out 
 upon the ice. 
 
A YKAU IN TIIK WILMHINKKH. 
 
 101 
 
 rv 
 
 riils is not slow work, for at llils season tlio trout 
 
 are trrecc 
 
 \y feed 
 
 ers on 
 
 the? 
 
 •tl 
 
 %{'. nortnern nv(M*s, ho ni tlie 
 
 th 
 
 eourse of an liour many may he taken, the majority 
 
 h 
 
 IS 
 
 )eni/jj oi v(?ry Iar^^3 si/e. 
 
 The other plan is mon; simpK;. A Ktron;^ line 
 carried hy two persons, one at either end, and thus 
 .stretched across a rapid that from th(! vehjc^ify of its 
 current is not frozen. From this main lino arc attached 
 several droj>pors, at the termination of each Ix.'inp; a 
 liook hailed with a shiner; irn()thin<^else isol)tainahlc, 
 a piece of rind of pork will answer, ^riicse droj)pers 
 are lowered Into the current, and permitted even to 
 drift under tlu^ ice. When a j)luck from a fish is 
 ohservahle each jjcrson strikes, hut does not draw 
 out the lish that has prohahly hecome attached, for 
 its struggles will not intiuiidute its conn)anions from 
 takin<f the other baits. l\y this means in a short space 
 of time a trout may he secured on each hook. After 
 the first captures have heen made, no scarcity of bait 
 need exist, for there is nothing more killing tlian a 
 strij) from the stomach of one of their fellows. 
 
 After all, the most that can be said of both these 
 methods of taking fish is, that they are poaching, 
 rascally inventions, and only justifiable when frail 
 humanity are requiring food. 
 
 For several nights the wolves have been giving us 
 
102 
 
 LONE LIFE 
 
 'WBMi 
 
 :H 
 
 evidence of their vocal powers. They liavc often 
 yelled so close to the shanty, that I feel convinced they 
 xire frequently within range of it, so with a charge of 
 buck-shot in each barrel I kept wait for the gentry, but 
 as usual under such circumsi,ances they did not come. 
 However, an Iiour after I had gone to bed they 
 opened tlie concert, and the Indian lad awoke me. 
 Slipping on sufficient clothes for the emergency, I 
 noiselessly opened the door, glided round the corner 
 •of the house, so as to command a view of where the 
 refuse from our cooking was thrown. On it and bv it 
 were five splendid fellows, eacli as large as a rough 
 deer-hound, but twice as bulkv. The stars were 
 shining brightly, and the snow reflecting their light 
 made it almost as clear as day, so there was no dif- 
 ficulty in taking aim. With the first barrel I tumbled 
 over one fellow dead, with the other I did such injury 
 as to cause the stricken animal to leave a very con- 
 spicuous blood-track in the snow. 
 
 The winter has nearly passed at last. I will not dis- 
 guise that it was a dreary period, so much so as to 
 make our lives a near approach to imprisonment. True 
 there were occasional days when the temperature was 
 not sufficiently low to frighten us from going to the 
 river or having a scour over the barrens ; but they 
 •were the exception, far from the rule ; however, when- 
 <3ver we did, we reaped our reward, for nature has not 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 103 
 
 bestowed animal life on this neiglibourliood with a 
 niggard hand. It was therefore with feelings of in- 
 tense gratification that I saw in the mornings a hard 
 crust ii\)on the snow, indicative of thaw by day but of 
 frost by night, but nevertheless a certain monitor of 
 spring's advent. 
 
 The Indians having provided me with snow-shoes, 
 I availed myself of the first chance to go in pursuit 
 of moose ; it was not long before they were found, 
 and duly run down and killed. Whatever I thought 
 once, it is needless to say my ideas at the present 
 time are, that you might as well go into a barn-yard 
 and shoot down domestic cattle. Uriless to provide 
 food when human beings would otherwise suffer from 
 its want, I agree with Captain Hardy, a well-known, 
 and most reliable authority on the field-sports of the 
 Lower Provinces, that to kill moose when a heavy 
 crust takes place is a most unjustifiable proceeding, 
 so a description of the scenes and modus operandi I will 
 leave out. 
 
 The maples, which are not very numerous in this 
 locality, are perfectly spouting with sap. I have 
 tapped several trees, and in a short time received a 
 bucketful from each ; but as we have not a pot suf- 
 ficiently large to boil it down in, so as to obtain 
 a commensarate reward for our labour, it has been 
 decided not to attempt sugar making. 
 
104 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 Independent of tins notice of the approach of 
 spring, the Indian boy saw a robin, and I have had 
 the pleasure of listening to his sweet melodious notes. 
 I hope the poor fellow has not been rash in getting 
 so far north thus early, for the states neiglibouring 
 New York and Pennsylvania are his winter habitat. 
 
 From the rapidity with which the thaw has taken 
 place after its commencement I have for some days ex- 
 pected that the ice upon the lake, from which our river 
 flows, would break up. I know no more magnificent 
 sight, one that impresses the beholder so thoroughly 
 with his insignificance, than to behold the breaking up 
 of ice upon an extensive lake or river. To those who 
 have not spent their lives in northern climates, the 
 entire scene is so novel and impressive that the beholder 
 stands awe-stricken. Some years ago, when visiting 
 Buffalo, I had the fortune to be an eye-witness to 
 tha breaking up of the ice on Lake Erie. It was my 
 first experience of such a sight, and the impression 
 that it made upon me was one that I shall never 
 forget. Curiosity not unmixed with fear, pleasure 
 alloyed with dread, both rapidly flitted through 
 my brain as I wonderingly gazed upon the gigantic 
 fields of snow-covered ice floating towards their 
 destruction, and their vast surfaces a moment after 
 collision with the shore severing into innumerable 
 undefinable irregular fragments. Of course, where I 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 105 
 
 was now residing I could not expect to witness any- 
 thing so grand as a flow of ice entering Niagara 
 River, for the stream that passed our slianty was but 
 a rivulet in comparison to the great connecting link 
 that unites Lakes Erie and Ontario. Nevertheless, 
 I looked most anxiously forward to the breaking up, 
 and sincerely hoped it would not occur during the 
 night. 
 
 I was sitting in the shanty tying some flies, for I 
 eagerly anticipated the period when I should be able 
 to indulge in my favourite pursuit, and therefore did 
 not delay getting all my fishing-tackle in thorough 
 order before that time arrived that the services 
 of my trout-rod would be called into play, when I 
 heard Antoinc's voice suddenly raised, requesting 
 me to come out and join him. 
 
 Now my half-breed Frenchman was not of an 
 excitable temperament, so I knew that something 
 serious had occurred to cause him to raise his voice 
 so high. When I joined him he was standing axe in 
 hand by the wood pile, for he had been engaged 
 cutting up firewood. As soon as he was aware that 
 I was at his side, he inquired, " Hear you the ice ?" 
 I listened, and could clearly detect a grunting heavy 
 sound. After a few minutes' silence he said, " Soon, 
 Cap, we have plenty clear water; the ice be do^vn 
 here in half an hour." 
 
106 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 I ., 
 
 lf"il 
 
 !!i 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 hm 
 
 And true to his statement the advance guard of the 
 broken fiekls commenced to make its ai)pearancc 
 in the time specified. Wishing to have the best view 
 of the novel siglit, I took my stand upon one of the 
 rocks tliat abutted on the river, and contracted its 
 breadth into half its ordinary size. At first only a 
 few spasms in tlie surface appeared, soon after 
 followed by large rents, which were ultimately suc- 
 ceeded by a wall of peaks and slabs piled upon one 
 another in the Avildest confusion. As they floated 
 towards me down the comparatively speaking placid 
 pool above the rock on which I stood, but a trifling 
 alteration took place in their outline ; however, at the 
 moment it entered the surging, boiling, contracted 
 rapid, each portion of the floating ice appeared to 
 struggle with the other to retain the surface ; thus 
 pieces, sometimes tons in bulk, would be shot up over 
 the ice underneath, ultimately to fall down and break 
 into a thousand glittering prisms. I do not ex- 
 aggerate when I say that I observed numerous 
 blocks of ice over a foot decji and yards in diameter 
 shelved up fifteen or twenty paces upon the shore, 
 while the continual grinding, crushing, and snapping 
 of miniature bergs produced a din that might have 
 been heard miles off ; the only sound that I can liken 
 to it is a continued succession of forest trees falling. 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 107 
 
 Just below the rapid where the water eddied with 
 sufficient cahnness to make it ajjparcntly a splendid 
 trout pool, an immense pine sna<^ had l()d«:;ed. Often 
 previously I had looked at it and wished that I had 
 the power to remove it, or that it had not been there, 
 for I felt convinced that when the fishing season 
 commenced it would rob me of many a fly, possibly 
 of many a yard of gut. With what satisfaction tlien 
 did I see the irresistible wall of ice strike it ; for a 
 few moments there was a halt in its movement, but 
 the rear-guard pushing on the advance, gave addi- 
 tional power, and the decayed pine-tree gradually 
 swung round, halted again for a few instants when 
 its branches caught the opposite shore, then dis- 
 enfjaging itself floated before the irresistible chaotic 
 mass. 
 
 All that night and the next day the ice continued 
 to flow onwards, but in diminished quantities, till on 
 the third day not a vestige remained to tell of winter's 
 mantle that had so lone locked the lake above in her 
 embrace ; so winter had fairly broken up, and soon 
 the country around will be free for me to travel 
 in whatever direction the spirit prompts. 
 
 Few days pass that some incident or other does 
 not transpire to afford amusement or food for study, 
 and our lives are far from being as dull and uu- 
 
i 
 
 11 
 
 I 
 
 im 
 
 108 
 
 LONE LIFE : 
 
 interesting as might be imngined. One great source 
 of regret I am constantly recurring to, viz., not having 
 half a bushel or more seed ])otatoes, for from the 
 amount of clearing wo have clone to supply firewood 
 and building material for the shanty, there is nearly 
 half an acre now eligible for the cultivation of that 
 excellent and most useful bulb, moreover the soil is 
 admirably suited for their growth, and with the 
 top dressing of ashes that we could give it, would 
 doubtless produce a noble crop, if late frosts should 
 not occur. 
 
 My protcg/', who has been away for a ramble in the 
 woods, for all his spare time is spent in setting snares 
 or inventing infernal machines with which to trap 
 the unwary beasts or birds of the locality, has just 
 returned, grinning from ear to ear. This I know is 
 an index of more than ordinary success, 
 
 " What have you got there, youngster ?'* 
 
 " Catchee baby mooin," struggling hard to hold 
 some animal which he has in a sack, and which ap- 
 pears to be very unwilling to remain captive. 
 
 *' Mooin ! I don't understand ; young bear do you 
 say r 
 
 "Yes, Capen, young mooin ; young devil, he scratch 
 and bite awful, you see;" so he turned the sack up, 
 and out fell the little snarling vixen. • 
 
 The prize was about the size of a small King Charles 
 
A YKAIl IN THE WILDEHNESS. 
 
 109 
 
 spaniel ; but in its small carcase existed the ferocity 
 of a full-^rown representative of his family. No 
 efforts to conciliate had tlio sli<irhtest effect, so after 
 it liad bitten mc through the boot, and torn into 
 shreds a i)air of mv unmentionables, the younji Indian 
 was ordered to build a house for his pet out-doors. 
 Tiiis was soon accomjdished, and the establishment 
 smelt sweeter after the cub's expulsion. 
 
 As the she bear is very attached to her young, 
 it is almost unaccountable how this little termagant 
 was alone. Poteen found him and drove him up a 
 saj)ling, his barking bringing the boy to the place. 
 It was lucky for the small Indian that the mother did 
 not return while he was up the tree, or it would have 
 been all up a tree with him. 
 
 Aiitoine for some days past harps upon the 
 subject of opening a trade with such Indians as may 
 be in the locality, and urges quite eloquently that 
 the sum of money to be made through doing so 
 would be immense. To all this I turn an indifferent 
 ear, for the reason that such were not the inducements 
 for my coming here ; beside, the limited stock of 
 things I have are now scarcely more than necessary 
 for our own use, more especially if anything should 
 occur to prevent our leaving at the time originally 
 intended. 
 
 I suppose that seeing the subject was not interesting 
 
110 
 
 LONE LUX: 
 
 ■I 
 
 f 
 
 to nic, he altered his tactics, and asked if I wouhl ohjcct 
 to his leaving me for a time, more especially us he 
 th()iif];ht he saw a prospect of bettering himself. I 
 replii'd, I would rather he did not, hut that lie was 
 liis own master; and wishing to terminate the con- 
 versation I took my gun and went out. 
 
 The young hear had heen only three days a captive, 
 I was lying on my hunk smoking my evening pipe, 
 for suj^per was over, when the boy came in, for he 
 had been sent to jn'ocure firewood ; tears were in 
 his eyes. As I had never seen him cry before, I 
 thought something serious must have happened, so 
 I asked him what was the matter. 
 
 "My mooin gone," he said, and fairly broke down. 
 
 So I had to turn comforter and assure him, " poor 
 little baby, he shall have another mooin ;" but it was 
 a long time before my consolation appeared beneficial. 
 On examination we discovered the cub liad slipped 
 his collar. " Good riddance," thought I. 
 
 I ■* 
 
A YEAU IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 Ill 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 The floatiiiff ice liad scarcely disappeared from the 
 river before wild-duck made their appearance, not 
 at first in large flights, but in half-dozens or more, 
 tlie advance guard of the main body. 
 
 It is extraordinary the instinct which teaches these 
 l)irds to know when they may advance with safety 
 into a country that heretofore has been ice-bound. 
 Although in the autumn I have known them make a 
 mistake, and linger about a favourite haunt till they 
 have ultimately got frozen in — not figuratively, for 
 I have found them hard and fast in such a posi- 
 tion — still in spring they never overstep the limits of 
 prudence. 
 
 First came the pin-tail, or pheasant duck, always 
 the forerunner, and, consequently, the most adven- 
 
 ^.. -f. 'X- 
 
112 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 turouH of his family ; not wild as tlioy aro ^ciu'ially 
 fuuiid to l)c upon tlu^ pniitios, hut ivcklcssof all dan^or 
 as loii^ ns they can follow tho river's course. As 
 their flesh is ever ^<H)d, and a most acceptahle change 
 from the diet on which we had heen living for months, 
 I availed myself of their arrival to add to our larder. 
 In the course of an afternoon, certainly within two 
 hours' shooting, I killed over three dozen, and oidy 
 desisted because my stock of annnunition was com- 
 mcncin*' to show visible si^rns of diminution. 
 
 Of all shootinf^ I have ever participated in, this 
 was the most old-fo<^eyish ; for I liad nonrrht to do but 
 sit upon the rock that formed the gate into the rapid, 
 and wait for the birds' arrival ; and as the river was 
 not tortuous for ov(?r some distance above my 
 position, their approach could bo seen long before 
 they came within range. Moreover, this work re- 
 quired no retriever, for tlie carcases of those that fell 
 in the stream were generally washed aslioro before 
 they had floated many yards. 
 
 There was feasting in camp that night, for the pin- 
 tail duck, in these inland regions, is a splendid 
 table bird, well fed and tender, and worthy of being 
 considered a bojuie boucJie among epicures. 
 
 After the pin-tails had passed to more northern 
 haunts, the glorious green-headed mallard came ; 
 
A Yl'AH IN Tin: WILDEIINESS. 
 
 n;j 
 
 Din- 
 iclid 
 
 fing 
 
 crn 
 Inc ; 
 
 although |»r();;t»n'itMr of our tame duck, with which 
 every one in familiar, btill familiarity in this iiiHtancu 
 (Iocs not hrocd contempt. 
 
 Tliat ff^ivy hivast and lustrous <^rocn nock is the 
 |)crfcctio!i of coml)iMation of rolour, autl the .stivn^^th 
 and velocity witii which his strong wings clcuvo the 
 
 air, ailds to his othcM* attractions. 
 
 prnice among 
 
 game I pnuiounce him, ami there arc few who deserve 
 the name of si)ortsmen will doul)t that .such an appel- 
 lation is not deservedly bestowed. 
 
 Heyond killing a few couple I did not molest them, 
 for aIthon<j;]i auvhow I mii'ht Iiave knocked over u 
 dozen, they were not required, and so I permitted 
 them unmolested to proceed to their far-north breed- 
 ing ground, from which in autunni they will doubt- 
 lessly return with replenished numbers. 
 
 The flight of the mallard continued for nearly ii 
 week, the rear-guard being better fed, and, conse- 
 quently, in bettor condition than those who had gone 
 before. These were the drones of the migratory herd, 
 willing to enjoy the advantages exposed by their 
 more adventurous conu'adcs. 
 
 But duck shooting did not hero terminate for 
 more than six weeks after the ice had broken ; 
 in fact, there was not an liour of the dav but 
 that teal, black duck, and mergansers in hrge 
 
 VOL. I. I 
 
114 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 i 
 
 flocks followcil the course of the river to their hrecd- 
 iii££ haunts. 
 
 Geese also passed in larire iunnl)crs durin<jf the 
 day, i^enerally too hi<j;li for an ordinary ^un to do 
 certain execution ; but if at early hours, or late in the 
 ovcniniT, twenty-five or thirty yards above the river 
 course Avould not be above their elevation. Can it be 
 •wondered at, then, with all these magnificent birds 
 hourly passing -within range, that altliough 1 desisted 
 from shooting, I took my stand, which was frequently 
 directly under their course, to watch their pro- 
 
 gress ? 
 
 To one skilled in fiddle-strings and wind instruments 
 the call of howh ! liowh ! may not be attractive ; but 
 fortunately we are not all formed in the same mould, 
 or possess the same partialities. 
 
 How lucky that it should be so, for if not, 
 every one would be falling in love with the same 
 baby face, which would be certain to lead to a vast 
 amount of bloodshed; for nought angers a man so 
 much as finding he has a rival in his love aflairs, 
 unless it be witnessing a stranger or objectionable 
 person abusing his dog. 
 
 I have not said anything regarding the swans, who 
 also are included amonjr the micrators who iio north 
 
 migrj 
 
 go 
 
 at this season of the year. During light many of 
 
A YKAR IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 115 
 
 ' brecd- 
 
 'in<2; the 
 \ to do 
 tc in the 
 lie liver 
 'an it be 
 nt birds 
 desisted 
 cqiiently 
 icir pro- 
 
 itrumcnts 
 •c; but 
 10 mould, 
 
 if not, 
 the same 
 to a vast 
 
 man so 
 re ailairs, 
 lotion able 
 
 l-ans, wlio 
 go north 
 many of 
 
 these large handsome birds were constantly to be 
 seen cleaving their way through the raw atmosphere 
 to their sunnnor haunts. At night their voices ap- 
 peared incessantly calling, no small proof that their 
 habits are partially nocturnal. 
 
 Above the shanty, on an old limbless hemlo(;k, a 
 pair of bald-eagles had found a suitable perch. Their 
 position was well chosen, for several hundred yards 
 above and below their perch, they could see what- 
 ever approached them that followed the river s course. 
 As soon as they had adoj)ted this roosting place I 
 should have either dis})osscssed them, or killed one or 
 both ; but I had read Audubon's description of the 
 pursuit of a swan by an eagle, and wished to witness 
 such a scene. 
 
 In the morning I had been round with Antoine 
 lifting traps ; the tramp had been a severe one, and, 
 by-the-bye, I was very nearly being rendered unable 
 to narrate further exploits, for his gun went off while 
 straddling over a log, but fortunately did no more 
 damage than carrying away the right pocket of my 
 shooting- coat. It is not agreeable to be shot at when 
 receiving pay from Her Majesty for submitting to 
 such a process, even when you know that a pension 
 awaits you for life, if called upon in future years to 
 stamp about with a cork-leg, or from the loss of an 
 
 i2 
 
IIG 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 m 
 
 'ii= 
 
 :| 
 
 ifil 
 1 1 
 
 ; ■ 
 
 1 
 
 ! 1 
 
 ! 
 
 ,1 1 
 
 
 ■< 
 
 ii! 
 
 \ 
 
 arm be nnilblc to dress without assistance ; but I most 
 decidedly object to a charge of No. G in the small of 
 the back, or, in fact, in any other part of my jK-rson, 
 although administered by a friend. So I j)ost})oned 
 the remainder of my tramp for an indefinite future 
 time, and found my way homewards. After a few 
 mouthfuls of lunch I lit my pipe, and sauntered to 
 my favourite perch on the rock ; for down the channel 
 of the river, a cool current of air ever passed, and 
 the situation seldom was without attractions to the 
 observant lover of natural history. 
 
 In the distance I heard the familiar call of swans ; 
 gazing intently south I with difficulty managed to 
 make out their snow-white column. Gradually as my 
 sight had attained the proper focus, and the phalanx 
 advanced towards me, each individual that composed 
 the force became distinguishable. 
 
 On the hemlock were perched the two bald-headed 
 eagles; no further perceptible movement being ap- 
 parent in them than that their height obviously had 
 increased, and their width diminished. From pre- 
 vious observation I had noticed this before ; it doubt- 
 less was a bracing of the system together, previous 
 to engaging in an undertaking more than usually 
 hazardous. 
 
 When I noticed this alteration in the figure of the 
 birds of prey, I became convinced that I was about 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 117 
 
 my 
 
 ap- 
 had 
 
 tl 
 
 \Q 
 
 vbout 
 
 to sec what I had so long and earnestly craved to 
 behold. It was a sight to witness, a drama about to 
 be played, that the stay-at-home naturalist, the 
 accepted authority upon all subjects in connexion 
 with the animal creation never sees, but still gets 
 credit for witnessing — and why so? because he is 
 read deeply in the wanderer's experiences, and in- 
 dites with flowing pen and with subtle language from 
 them — and on this borrowed knowledge writes an 
 article that goes forth to the world to be applauded, 
 quoted, and ultimately the scribbler is credited with 
 the reputation of being a great observer of the animal 
 creation. 
 
 I wish I liad command of the most eloquent lan- 
 guage, for here is a chance to bring it with purpose 
 into play ; but, unfortunately, I have been reared in 
 camp and barrack, where the most familiar sound to 
 my ear was the hoarse bray of the trumpet, or the 
 clarion notes of the bugle. Nor am I come of a 
 literary race, for my progenitors for many, many 
 generations, have had no other ambition than to 
 lead companies, or head regiments. 
 
 The Indian is a great hunter, because through a 
 long line of ancestors the love of venerie is here- 
 ditary ; the game of the present day are wilder than 
 when bolts and cross-bows were used in their pursuit, 
 for the ancestors of them have learned that it is no 
 
118 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 i 
 
 t 
 
 longer safe to como within the same distances of 
 man. 
 
 So it is with scribblers; nine instances out of ten their 
 forefatliers^hive lived by their pen, or made a repu- 
 tation by it. In youth, from the buoyance of tliat 
 period they may have neglected it, but ultimately 
 they bow their necks to the yoke, or permit the har- 
 ness to be put upon them, like the beast of labour 
 that had, no matter how long ago, been broken in. 
 At first their brain may be rusty, and the pen refuse 
 to indite their thoughts, but only limited perseverance 
 is necessary to bring them into the channel that those 
 from whence tliey are sprung have pursued. Why 
 this bitter, long rhodomontade ? Because critics will 
 cut up a work that has emanated from practical 
 experience, when all they know upon the subject 
 is what thev have read. 
 
 But to revert to the swans ; no sooner were the^ 
 within a hundred yards of the bald eagles, than 
 both birds of prey, with a velocity that was astonish- 
 ing, dashed upwards into the heavens till nearly 
 lost to sight, and the noisy host of white-plumed birds 
 broke up their formation and scattered in all direc- 
 tions, for well did they appear to know the hostility 
 of this demonstration. On outstretched wing, with 
 rapid stroke, a swan so large and strong that age must 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 119 
 
 be credited to him, dashed down tlie river course. 
 Wlien nearly ()j)[)osite to nie a tearing, rending, rush- 
 ing sound reverberated from the air above ; it was the 
 eagles descending upon tlieir destined victim. But 
 the battle is not ever to the strong, and the persecuted 
 bird avoided the impetuous swooj) — but how? — by 
 dashing down into the pellucid water and diving be- 
 neath its surface. 
 
 Disapj)ointed the birds of prey hovered idoft; in a 
 few moments again they swooped downwards, but 
 tlieir destined prey knew the safety of his position, 
 and dived before the assailants could strike him. 
 Again and again this ruse was practised, and the 
 baffled persecutors returned to their roosting-place. 
 
 It was a glorious example of how the strong can be 
 worsted by the weak, the tyrant by the powerless, 
 and if I could have done as I pleased I would have 
 taken tliat swan home, given him the best my limited 
 larder afforded, a secure night's rest, and turned him 
 loose in the morning to seek his companions, and 
 afterwards taken my gun and have had a shot at his 
 persecutors. 
 
 For a long time I puzzled my brain why an old 
 bird, full of experience, should have selected the 
 hazardous route — for those that flew landways were 
 unmolested. I am willing to accredit reasoning. 
 
« 
 
 120 
 
 LONE LIFE! 
 
 powers to the rest of the animal ereation, besides 
 (illowiii*^ man ulone to nionopohse them ; and for 
 this reason, previons h)n«^ experienee had tan^ht 
 him liow to eope witli sneh a foe, and ^vhere to regain 
 his rehitives whom lie had l)een forced so rsnnnnarily 
 to desert. 
 
 No sehoolboy has not read of Quintus Curtius, and 
 in liis innermost soul lauded his valour ; but here 
 "Nvas an insiiinifieant bird runninfij the fire of two 
 implaealjle foes, to draw tliem away from those less 
 capable of es(;apin<j^ their attacks. 
 
 That night most unexpectedly Antoine informed 
 me that he purposed starting north on a trading 
 expedition among the Indians on the upper waters 
 of the Ottawa. 
 
 This took me ([uite by surprise, for I had no idea 
 that he intended leaving me before I returned to 
 civilisation. 
 
 On this point I expressed my opinion strongly, 
 still he argued with me, that as his absence would 
 not last over a few weeks, and that he should make 
 out of his ti'ip a lot of money, I finally consented to 
 his g(»^ ,. 
 
 Bui I ;/n^t "»''^t got rid of him yet, for just as we 
 were turning iiitO our respective bunks, after having 
 a very strong tumbler of whisky-punch each, he told 
 
A YHAU IN THR WILDrnXESS. 
 
 121 
 
 mo that Ills t-iitirc venture would be ruined if I 
 would not let him luive some of my stores. 
 
 At first I liunnned and hawed to this refjuest, but 
 nltimat(.'ly aeeeded to it; so 1 handed him over a 
 spare ^un, several pounds of powder, a couple of 
 hags of shot, as well as a host of gcw-^aws of 
 Jiirmingham manufacture. When I awoke next 
 morning he had gone; how he had taken his load 
 away I couhl not conceive. 
 
 A favourite animal of mine is the fat, well-to-do, 
 comfortable-looking musk-rat, generally called by 
 the Indians mus(juash. About them exists none of 
 the disagreeable associations we always possess to- 
 wards the connnon brown or Norway rat ; and 
 although a rodent, the North American animal would 
 have been much more agreeably christened, and made 
 far more popular, if the Indian synonym had been 
 preserved. 
 
 On a large-sized tributary of the river, about a 
 mile distant from our residence, I often have taken 
 my seat to watch the busy industrious creatures 
 sporting about in their favourite element. Their 
 apparent confidence m the goodwill of the intruder, 
 the mingled air of curiosity and inquiry with which 
 they regard you, the beauty of their large intelligent 
 dark eye, soon cause them to be regarded as friends 
 
122 
 
 LONE LIFE : 
 
 il 
 
 i 
 
 in wliosc habits you centre ii lur^e amount of in- 
 terest. Tlie similarity of the musquash to tlie beaver 
 is so very striking that tlie inexperienced are often 
 incluccil to mistake them for the youn<ij of the latter 
 animal, for the only external pcrcej)tible (lifference 
 is that the beaver's tail is flat horizontally, the 
 musk-rat's vertically, and I should ima<^ine in con- 
 . sequence far better suited both to steer and assist in 
 propellinti; its possessor forward, when submer<ifed 
 beneath the surface of the water. Althou<^h during 
 tlic whole winter, when 1 have visited this retired 
 stream, around the air-holes in the ice, numbers of 
 these jiets of mine were to be seen, or evidences of 
 their vicinity from the ([uantity of shells of the fresh- 
 water mussel they liad left on the margin of the 
 open water, still their numbers never appeared so 
 great as on this spring evening. Look in whatever 
 direction T cliose, the water w^is being cleft by these 
 indefatigable children of the lakes and rivers of this 
 forest land, all apparently intent on the important 
 business of building a new home to replace that of 
 last season, which had been washed away by the 
 freshets that had occurred at the breaking-iip of 
 the ice. Their power in the water is really surpris- 
 ing, for frequently they will be observed pushing or 
 dragging tow^ards the site chosen for their new mansion 
 
A YEAH IN TIIK WILDERNESS. 
 
 12a 
 
 branclios of trees, jind lumclies of rccds so hir^c as 
 almost to hide from view the persevering littk; crea- 
 tures that direct tlie cours(^ of the; floating drbris, 
 Moreover, the very pjreatest affection and uiuU-rstand- 
 in;^ appanMitly exists hetween tlie Miale and fenude, 
 for if the wind or current he too strouii for one to 
 transport the h)ad to tlie destination it is intended for, 
 a lon<^ low ai]d ])laintive whistle will immediately call 
 the mate to assist in the navigation of the prize. 
 How it is anchored when it reaches the [)lace in- 
 tended, 1 never could tell, but it is secured. At the 
 same time it must he remembered that itheir houses 
 arc never built in the current, but in bays or iidets, 
 where, however, there would be sufficient wind to 
 remove them if such a precaution were not taken. 
 When a branch of a size larger than the musk-rats 
 choose to make use of is brought by either to the 
 spot chosen for their future home, the small limbs 
 are dexterously lopped off, and the main artery 
 alowed to float away, liushes, however, form the 
 principal portion of which this water residence is 
 composed, the fine limbs of trees being only utilised 
 for uprights between which to weave in the softer 
 material, or here and there introduced around the 
 sides to impart strength, which it would not other- 
 wise possess. 
 
121 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 Altlioii^^h the luali; ami female are very gentle an<l 
 very lovin<jr to each other, tliey are excessively jealous 
 of their rights, and attack an IiitrmK'r of their species 
 with such I'lirv and viiidictiveiiess as to cause the 
 water fairlv to hoil around the scene of hattle. This 
 cvenini^ 1 was rewarded witli a view of such u 
 rencontre. 
 
 Just opposite to my position, hut across the stream 
 within thirty or more yards from whei'c I sat, a pair 
 of mus(piash wero exceedin<:;ly busy, every few mo- 
 ments one or other departed to return witli some- 
 thing necessary for the construction of their liousc. 
 At length tlie hu'ger one aj)[)eared to be longer 
 absent than usual, and anxiety to have taken pos- 
 session of the [)artner left behind, for he or she, 1 
 tliink it was tiie lady, would every fcv moments 
 cease from work, sit up on bind legs and gaze 
 anxiously about. Presently above me appeared a 
 limb of a tree, nearly six feet long, and about the 
 thickness of my finger at the larger portion of the 
 main stem ; slowly it came floating down tlie tranquil 
 current, gradually edging off towards the opposite 
 shore. A little closer inspection enabled me to detect 
 the builder of the domicile across the water, who 
 evidently had no easy task in hand, and was not 
 sparing his strength to accomplish it. While ad- 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILnn.NESS. 
 
 125 
 
 miring' the* |»liick and pcrscvcraiicu of tlic IlttK; la- 
 l)(»iiri'rj a lii'ad of anotlior nnisk-rat \>o\)\f ! up abovo 
 the surface of tlio water lu his imuK'cliato vicinity ; 
 tlic new coiner eviilently liaviii^ (lesi<^ns on tlie pro- 
 jierty of my ac<|uaintance, NVhethcr or not, his 
 arrival was evidently far from a/^reeal>Ie, if 1 may 
 jud;j;e from the nanner of iiis reception. Tiie stranger 
 was much hi/f^er than tlie otlier, and I shouhl deem 
 from his thirkcr coat, ohler, and of course more ex- 
 j)erience(h Kvidently conscious of superior strength, 
 lie avoided parley and ])roceeded at once to exercise a 
 jiioli liaud, hy making a dash at the possessor of 
 the branch. This assault, however, was dexterously 
 avoided, the smaller musk-rat instantly divinix out 
 of sight, the larger taking possession instantly 
 of the coveted prize and using every exertion to 
 direct it towards the side on which I was sittin^x. I 
 thought how broken-hearted my poor little friend 
 Avould be to lose his lawful property, and with what 
 a long and disappointed face ho would confide his 
 woes to the partner of his bosom, when he reai)pearcd 
 again and took hold of the end of the limb, evidently 
 using all his power to counteract the exertions of his 
 antagonist. 
 
 The struggle lasted but a few moments ; the larger 
 animal let go his hold and made for the other, the 
 
isi; 
 
 i.DNi; lifk: 
 
 laMtT I'tM'nsin^ tin* (MhUi'nI, a^aiii tlivin^j; !<» rra|»|M<Mi' 
 on till' surfai't* at tlio otiu'i* iMul of llu» luaiicli a nio- 
 iiuMit or two ut'tor itn possfSNor lia<l rc^aiiuMl liis ol«l 
 position. A^ain tliriv wah a |mlliii^ inal«'li, sin*- 
 ccciluil l»y tlio original ownrr Iniiiir drivon olT. Ilow- 
 ovor lir was not vannni^hod, (uily |ilottin<^ liow hr 
 I'oiilil riM>l)tain possos.sion of tlio covctiMl |»ri/,(». My 
 tliis tinii* tlio misappropriator, witli liis spoil, hail ^ot 
 within twi'ntv vaids ot' wluro tho rosidonco nl' Ins 
 vii'tini was hoini; hnilt, tlio (U'sp«)iK«(l doso t<» him 
 with a wati'ht'nl ovo on his lato tivasnro, his wife 
 bnsily on«;a;;oil in hor anhitoctnral pnrsnits. I hoanl 
 a low lon^ whistlo, tlu» fonjaio raisiMl Iut hoatl, lis- 
 tened, looked towards the iKJni^h aiul nois<'lessIv jthded 
 into the water; in a momi'nt or two afterwards she 
 was hesiile her partner; then ensued a short eonfah, 
 and both ilived, reappeariui^ immediately on the 
 snrface on I'ithcr side of the thief. Without an 
 instant's hesitation the intcrlo[)er was attacked , for 
 several minutes a territle battle cnsueil, if just esti- 
 mate eould be formed from the amount of stru^glin^ 
 and splashing that took place, and that my friends 
 were victorious was apparent, for I had the satis- 
 faction of seeiniT them safely moor the contested 
 branch among the other materials that were collected 
 l'^ vveave into their future domicile. 
 
A YKAU IN Tin; WII.I»KIINKHH, 
 
 127 
 
 Hilt iii^tit was closing in, tlio liir^n ( 'unii(liriii owl 
 wjiH InMifiti^ from liis s«»liliiry rrslint^ iilacc uimm;^ 
 tli<* Imiii;^Iih of Hoiiii* Moinlti'i) lM*niio('k, a Niin* si^ii tiiiit 
 <liii'l\iii'ss wotiM Nooii (lni|)i' tlir laiii|s<'ti|M', so I r(*tiru<l 
 from till' lour woodland strrani niid l<-fi it to it-i 
 nocturnal visitorn. 
 
128 
 
 LONE LIFK: 
 
 V , 
 
 CI FAIT KR IX. 
 
 I'' 
 
 A WAT-iv tliroiigli Canndian forest land (lurin<j; nearly 
 all ]H)rti()ns of the year, especially towards sunset, is 
 oj)j)ressive and saddening from the sonihrencss of the 
 foliage and the intense stillness that reigns around; 
 however, at this season it is ((uite a contrast to the 
 rule, for every direction now has found a voice. The 
 stranger who cares not for the study of nature, and 
 conse(|uently knows little about it, would listen with 
 cars of astonishment to the number and variety of 
 notes that issue from every nook and cranny, par- 
 ticularly if his acquaintance with uncleared land had 
 been confined to winter and autumn. 
 
 When the cold biting winter has passed and the 
 snows fled, and the genial rays of the spring sun 
 warm the surface of the earth, innumerable 
 vai'ieties of animal life "which have hitherto been 
 torpid are restored to animation, and from them 
 
A YHATl IN Tin: WILM'.ltNKSS. 
 
 129 
 
 ]>roc(H'(I tlic iijrc.'itcr portion of tlic curious, Init none 
 tlk! less melodious notes that, hreak flie stillness of 
 llie sun'onn(lin<^ shadow land. 
 
 Yes, it is to the ve[)tilia that all this liarniony of 
 sound is due, rejoicing douhtless that a now life to 
 
 th 
 
 leni is horn, an( 
 
 I that a period of captivity ;ind in- 
 activity Is passed. The birds warhle forth their 
 duleet notes in sprin<;, the children of man ci that 
 season seem more joyous in tlieir out-door sports, and 
 
 f^ivc vent more lre([uently to tiien* pleasure with up- 
 raised meri'y laun;li ; as with tlie "winged beauties, as 
 with the youth of our own race, so it is with the 
 lower orders of tlie animal creation. 
 
 But to revert to the choristers of the primeval 
 forest of the lone western lands, chief among them, 
 when water is in the vicinity, is the connnon American 
 toad. Although far from attractive in appearance, 
 he Is Tiot nearly so ugly as his English relative. 
 Listen to his strange solemn voice ; it is not harsh or 
 disagreeable, so far in fact from such in its thrilling 
 cadence, that it cannot be imagined to proceed from 
 so unattractive a shape, or so expressionless a visage. 
 Inactive and slugijlsh both bv formation and incli- 
 nation, scarcely changing position for hours, again 
 and again he utters his vibratory notes throughout 
 the livelong niglit. Next among the musicians is 
 
 VOL. 1. K 
 
130 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 tlie little livo-fro^, ;i tiny Jictivc fellow, not tliivc- 
 ([uartcrs of an Inch long, -svlioso whistle is as joyous as 
 that of the connnon house cricket, only much more 
 voluminous. lie utters his ([nick cliirj), m^ver tirinir, 
 never ceasing, while the sun's rays are not pouring 
 down upon his perch. 
 
 Another of this hand of choristers is the green- 
 headed frog, the basso profundo of the woodland 
 stream ; ills (lee[)-toned voice may be heard for half a 
 mile of a still evening. As frogs go, l)e Is a pretty crea- 
 ture, with yellow throat, and black-green barred back ; 
 a very bully is he too among the smaller reptilia, who 
 hush in grave respect when lie chooses to give utter- 
 ance. But his life, with all his pomposity of manner, 
 is not without its dangers, for the water adder and the 
 black snake love to make him their prey, and when 
 the hour of hot pursuit by his bloodthirsty foe comes, 
 how rapidly does he change his pompous notes for 
 the timorous squeak of the most insignificant of 
 his ixenus. A close observer of nature can trace 
 a likeness in every animal, however humble It may 
 be in the scale, to some representative of the human 
 family ; thus I have often thought this frog to re- 
 semble a purse-proud, upstart citizen, probably a 
 guardian of the poor, blatant, bullying, and pompous, 
 while he possesses wealth ; sycophantic, grovelling, 
 and pluckless in the days of adversity. 
 
A TEAK IN 'i'lIE WILDERNESS. 
 
 131 
 
 TIic snow-water by tins time luivliiji: l)ecii washed 
 out of Jill the iiei<j;hl)ourhi^ streams, it is time to 
 commeiK.'o preparations for the eaptuie of the ver- 
 milion-speckled, eo[)p(.'r-l)urnished flanked trout, for 
 until that takes place the most skilful annk-r may 
 throw his fly ever so li^litly, hide Ids sluulow ever 
 so skilfully, or fish with the longest line tluit strong 
 wrist and pliant rod can carry from Inm, hut all his 
 efforts Avill go unrewarded. It is a strange, Ijut ncvcr- 
 theh'ss a true fact, that although the trout of these 
 distant Avaters will take the bait with avidity when 
 ice covers both their river and lake haunts, tlicy 
 ])erfcctly disregard any allurement during tljc season 
 that tlieir liomes are swollen into flood by the influx 
 of melted snow. All I have (piestioned for infor- 
 mation as to the reason of this, have responded una- 
 nimously, " Don't know !" Thought, and the know- 
 ledge that tlierc is a cause for every result, induce 
 me to think, that snow-water being more penetrating 
 than that of rain, becomes impregnated more strongly 
 by the decayed vegetation, causing the fish in conse- 
 ([uence to become listless, sick, and disinclined to 
 feed. 
 
 I have frequently taken a cupful of snow-water 
 from indentations and ridires on the hillside where I 
 knew it was unalloyed with any other, and it has- 
 
 k2 
 
132 
 
 LONE LIFE : 
 
 I i 
 
 IP^':'. 
 
 always possessed a \cvy diirk colour as well as a 
 stringent taste. In fact, the former n])pearance is so 
 apparent, that I believe I can always detect its 
 presence in a stream from the dull neutral tint it 
 imparts to all waters it mixes with. Such being the 
 case, will not the most sceptical acknowledge that I 
 have good grounds for coming to the previous con- 
 clus ion ? 
 
 The water of Northern American rivers is won- 
 derfully clear, with a bright greenish shade, un- 
 less at such times as they are swolleu by floods, 
 when if their course has flowed through heavily- 
 timbered lands, they become as thick and muddy as 
 it is possible to imagine ; those that flow over barrens, 
 on the other hand, although increased in volume by 
 rainfall, suffer almost imperceptibly in colouration. 
 
 My di'but was not a success. I tried several of the 
 best streams and reaches without doing more than 
 raising a few insignificant fish. In England I might 
 have changed my flies, attributing to their non- 
 attractiveness mv failure; but here it was not ne- 
 cessary, for when trout are on the feed they are never 
 fastidious. 
 
 However, my time was not thrown away, for on 
 my walk home 1 had opportunities of observing some 
 -of the most interesting sights that the eye of the lover 
 of nature can rest upon. 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 133 
 
 To shorten my joiiriioy, instead of following the 
 ep'atic course of the river I struck across a marshy 
 the ed^e of which mnrgiued a large shallow pool. I 
 was about leaving its brilliant green spongy surface 
 when a wild-duck, the female of our conmion mal- 
 lard, flushed at my feet. After Hying a few yards 
 she dropped into the weeds, ap[)arently incapable of 
 proceeding further. Skye, my little favourite, was 
 with me ; in an instant he started in pursuit. To recall 
 him I deemed unnecessarv, for well 1 knew the bird 
 could take care of herself, and that she was only 
 perpetrating a ruse to draw the intruder from the 
 vicinity of her nest. \\\ a few moments after, the 
 duck affiiin was on tlie winrr, a second time to fall as 
 if overpowered with the exertion. This appeared to 
 give confidence to my com})anion, for giving tongue 
 in his delight at the hope of making an immediate 
 capture, he rushed on after his wouhl-be prey. A 
 third time the trick was repeated, the duck on this 
 occasion flying further, and'idtimately dropping into 
 the river; but previous victimising did not appear one 
 iota to liave damped Skye's hopes of success. In the 
 mean time I had been carefully examining the 
 vicinity, for a nest I knew was not far distant. In a 
 clump of last year's withered sedge I discovered 
 eight eggs, which, judging from their opaque and 
 dead-lookin£C colour, I deemed were more than half 
 
134 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 hatcheil. If I liad cxamlncHl tlicMu minutely I pos- 
 sibly could have told more closely how long they had 
 been sat u})oii ; hut I preferred to leave my curiosity 
 imsatisfied, as l)y gratlfjiiig it I should have been 
 oblii'ed to handle the eiiffs, which mifrht and frc- 
 qucntly does cause a duck to forsake her nest. 
 Soon after I had resu w' ■ tramj) my do<^ joined 
 me; his expression was ' • |»ishness personified, 
 and the more I chaffed him, in such words as, 
 "Poor fellow! then he diu . .)t i..''ch. the duck," 
 the more ashamed of himself he apparently be- 
 came. 
 
 I have often thouo;ht that this canine friend could 
 understand all I saitl. There is not a doubt that 
 lie did some sentences ; for instance, in the morn- 
 ing, if I was preparing to go out, and did not wish 
 his society, T had but to say, " No little dogs with 
 me to-day ;" and although ho had been vising every 
 effort to attract my attention, and evincing the live- 
 liest interest in my preparations, he would at once 
 sneak into a corner and regard me askance with the 
 most heart-broken expression. Again, if of an evening 
 iifter dark the shanty door were opened, Skye's greatest 
 anxiety appeared to be to get out first. To teaze him 
 I would retain the door sufficiently ajar to prevent 
 his egress ; impatiently but quietly he would wait 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 135 
 
 ready for a rush wlicnsucli bccaino practicable. How- 
 ever, if I said to him, " No uiglit for little dogs to be 
 out, l)ig wolves outside ready to eat him up," his 
 hair would rise on his back, the sides of his lips curl 
 so as to expose his teeth, uttering at the same time 
 the angriest and most defiant growls. 
 
 Keverting to my tramp homewards. The woods are 
 now fjiirly filled with migratory birds that have spent 
 the winter in the more hos[)itable climate of iVFexico 
 or the Southern States. Few of them are such song- 
 sters as are to be found in Great Britain, if we except 
 the hermit thrush and American robin, both of whom 
 ])ossess very sweet voices; but they do not appear so 
 fond of exercising their vocal powers as the warblers of 
 our home woods and hedge-rows. The woodpeckers, 
 at this season, are also most noisy, and gifted with 
 even a more than ordinary amount of energy. Their 
 day seems to be taken up with incessant squabbling 
 or magging, for each appears to have a voice in his 
 neighbour's business, if not to interfere further. I 
 watched a pair which had taken possession of a hole 
 in a large limb of a dead tree, evidently with the 
 intention of commencing housekeeping therein. In 
 half an hour a dozen visitors at least must have come 
 to see them ; and the angry high words that imme- 
 diately after the arriral of each stranger took place, 
 
130 
 
 LONE life: 
 
 
 was »a (lisfTvaco to society, whetlKT anion*; birds or 
 liunian beings. I do not tlnnk that the, calK'is were 
 ^aUants come to make love to the bride, for tlien slie 
 wouhl be probably timid, bashful, and silent ; but it 
 was quite the reverse, for the lady's voici? was as 
 highly i)itehed as her lord's, and her manner e(|ually 
 rude and objectionable. 
 
 Within a ([uarter of a mile of the clearing which 
 we have formed by su|)|)lying the shanty fire with 
 fuel, a few yards from what has now become quite a 
 path, I heard a hare scream from some long bottom 
 grass. Skye in a moment was all eyes and ears, 
 ready for a rush ; but by a single word 1 checked 
 him, for he is now nnder most perfect control. After 
 a few moments the scream was re})eated more to our 
 front, anil soon afterwards a hare staggered across the 
 track. A word of encouragement and Sk}c was off, 
 for I thought poor pussy with the long ears had been 
 seized by a weasel. Soon I was convinced that I was 
 in error as to my sui)position ; for again and again I 
 heard the dog struggling with something of no ordi- 
 nary size or strength, so I hurried to his assistance. 
 To my gratification I found his antagonist to be a 
 very large mhik, whom his repeated shaking had by 
 this time reduced to obedience. Why my little 
 attendant had attacked so powerful a foe instead of 
 
A YKAU IN Tin: WILDKnNESS. 
 
 137 
 
 the lisirc WHS to inc ji mystery ; l)ut us I «;ilil Ix'forc, 
 li(^ was inihiu'd witli more tlian ordinary sense, and, 
 as Ik; looked np in my face with Ins lovin^i; liazel eyes, 
 lie aeeejited my praise with the di<^nity of one know- 
 ing himself worthy of approbation. This mirdv would 
 have been (piite a prize late in antinnn, for then they 
 possess a beautiful dark close fur; but at this season 
 its pcilt was useless, the; old coat havin/^ come off in 
 patches, the new one only be^innin^ to f^row. 
 
 Snij)e, which had couunenced arriving itmnediately 
 after the thaw set in, were now assembled in innnense 
 numbers on all the low-lyln^ wet lands tl it mar- 
 f^ined the rivers and lakes, and in the bogs on the 
 hillsides. They are so remarkably tame that they 
 never attemj)ted to Hush till almost step[)cd ni)on, 
 and even then their flight did not exceed thirty 
 or forty yards. If annnunition in out of the way 
 places like this did not require economisin<^, I could 
 have made such ba<^'s as would have })rovoked the 
 disbelief of my countrymen. How is it that they 
 will seldom believe in any j)erf(n'mance that occurs 
 abroad sur[)asslnn' their own home deeds? 
 
 When I was a lad, in a short winter day, I killed 
 twenty-two brace of woodcocks. A few years since 
 1 happened to mention the subject in a l^ondon club. 
 A gentleman whom I had met previously, and who 
 
138 
 
 LONE LIFE : 
 
 % 
 
 
 li.'id sliot Ji ^o()(l (leal III the South of Kii;;hm(l, 
 >vith()iit I'xpivssin^ hinist'lt' mo, apiR'ared sci'[»ti(':il, {iiid 
 ivmarkcd : 
 
 " 'Phat iimst have heeii in sonic of your lorcigii 
 jsliootiiiii; ti'ips." 
 
 1 aiiswi'ivd, " In Iivlaiid." 
 
 '' J knew it," said he, continuing'; ^* you i'ellows 
 \s'\u) ^o ahroad do most extraorilinary tliini;'s. Why, 
 I never killed a (|uarter of that nundjer in tlie hest 
 j)i'esei've(l covers in Kngliuid, and iiow coukl you make 
 such a hau; wliere there are no i^anie hiws?" 
 
 Of course, after an arirunient so dincliing, coining 
 from a person wlio called the Emerald Island ahroad, 
 and asserted it did not possess game hiws, 1 said 
 nothing; but there was a titter on every listener's 
 face, and the laugh might have been — I say might — 
 liavo been aixainst me. 
 
 As none of the snipe here show any indication of 
 pairing, I am inclined to beheve that their great 
 breeding-ground is further to the north; still of a 
 calm still evening, after the sun has gone down, you 
 can hear them giving utterance to that peculiar 
 bleating call, that at home is generally accepted as 
 an indication that they have mated. Thus snipe, 
 like many other birds who are almost silent nearly all 
 the year round, find that their voice possesses a new 
 
 
 .« 
 
A YEAR IN TIIK WII-DmNLSS. 
 
 1 no 
 
 or h)Uii uiiujkmI nolo in sihIii'', uliidi tliov 'lisron- 
 tiiuic wlioii tired (tf, ns cliildrcn uoiild a toytliat tin;y 
 Ij.'kI perfectly revelled over wlirn first tlicy l)t'eaino 
 its owner. I*o.ssil»Iy it may he tliat the hirds that 
 bleat want a mate, so ceases to <lo so when |iain'<|. 
 
 Killing a (U)zeii .siiijx' in almost as many minutes, 
 1 finished off shootin*^ hy putting:; l)f)th liairels into a 
 flock of hlne-winircd teal. I had seen these hand- 
 some hirds several times when in th*' marsh ; hut 
 althou^di a})i»arently not afraid of me, they still con- 
 trived to direct their flii^dit far ])eyond my reach. 
 This could scarce have hcen wariness, for 1 was out 
 in open ex|K)sed <:;ronnd when they came within 
 ran^e, my reward being eight mature well-fed birds 
 killed dead, and three cripples, oidy one of which 
 I recovered. 
 
140 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 CIIAlTKll X. 
 
 Tm: oanoo, Nvhicli Iims l)ccn iisoloss since ^vi^to^ 
 set in, Nvill, now tliiit tho Ici* lias ^ono, be in daily 
 iv(|nisiti«)n. Uost, liowrwr, seems not to liave im- 
 proved it, for wlien floated it leaked like a seivo, 
 so there is at least a day's work upiin it before its 
 services can be made available. Tlins yonnu; Ked-skin 
 with the nn|)ron»)nnceable name, bnt generally called 
 by me " {Snn;ar-tooth," or uh :v fre(iiiently still, 
 *'Sn<i;ar,'' was despatched lo the woods to gather <i;uni 
 to cover snch places as let in the water. The Indians, 
 all of them, even the st[U'.iws, are wondrously skilfnl 
 in building" birch-bark canoes, ami in repairing them. 
 I have never met a white man who can approach them 
 in constrnctini; thcfio buoyant little crafts, and the 
 mechanical tools they employ are of the simplest 
 descri})tion, generally only an axe and knife, some- 
 times in addition a spokcshave — still they arc so 
 beautifully finished that any one would suppose 
 
A YKAU IN tut: WIT.PEUNKRS. 
 
 Ml 
 
 t,h«'V li.'i'l Itcrn falniciitiMl liv tlir iiu»st ^killr<l work- 
 man, with cvi'i'v iin|il(iiR'nt at coniitiainl that u car- 
 
 ju'iitor "MiiM think ot*. 
 
 No. iPix nl)h' to m't on without Sui^ar, I h)uni'(M| 
 into tho .shanty to enjoy a <|uii!t .sn»(>kc aiwl nndi.s- 
 turi)i'(l th(>u"^Iit. I ini_i;iit havt* hccn half an liour in 
 fairyhiii<I, pos.sihly nioi'c, wht-n tin; sharp hark of 
 Skyc and tlic su|»|nvs.si!(l ^rowl of INttccn i-cfaHccl 
 ivy scatti'ivd wits, for I knew sonic one was ap- 
 proaching. On fj;oin^ to tho door I saw Master 
 l{ed-skin hounding ah)n^ w ith his load on hi.s hack, 
 and a "h\ on his face tliat denoted tliat he had 
 uiado J important discovery. 
 
 ** Oh, Cap," lio commenced as soon a.s witliin speak- 
 ing distance, " I seed sicli a mooln" (Inilian for hear). 
 " Get your f^un, Cap, I show liim you most in a minute. 
 Come, Capen, do" (he always addres.sed me so when 
 he wanlcfl a favour done). 
 
 I took down my f^un, and while extracting the old 
 charges young Sugar informed me that while strip- 
 
 nig 
 the 
 
 largcs 
 some 
 canoe 
 
 tamarack roots for sewing up the rents in 
 he heard a log roll over. (Quietly he picked 
 up the result of his labour, and went to investi- 
 
 gate the cause, doubtless at the same tune suspect- 
 ing it. A white man probably could not have ap- 
 proached the bear without giving alarm ; but an 
 
 / 
 
i 
 
 M2 
 
 LONE LIFE : 
 
 IikIImu cnii do anvtliin^ tluit Is necessary to niako a 
 siu'cosst'ul stalk, ayo, ci'awl up to ^anu; as stealthily 
 aiul silently as a snake upon its prey. 
 
 *' Well, \vliat (lid voii see /" 
 
 '' Sieh a l>i^ niooin, a lon^-le^i»ed niooin, and 
 lie no see mo, so I eonie to fetch yon/' 
 
 Calling I'oteen, and orderinn- Skye home, I fol- 
 lowed my little ^uido ("oi- nearly a mile; the ^vind 
 ■was in our favour so no detour was necessary. 
 Alter a cautious stalk of a hundred yards we reached 
 where the boy had heen <:5atlierin^ the tama- 
 rack roots, which he pointed out with pantomimic 
 actions, then indicided the position of the log. Lead- 
 ing the way on hands and knees, I soon spied it, 
 but no hear. Examininn; the m'ound, I found it 
 had lately been scratched on the surface, where 
 the dead piece of timber had laid, also the bark was 
 pulled off the decayed wood in several places to 
 enable master Bruin to catch with his prehensile lips 
 the wood-lice and other insects that had obtained a 
 sanctuary underneath. I never doubted that the lad 
 had spoken the truth, but even if I had, the signs I 
 saw before me were most conchisive evidence of his 
 statement. The only thing I feared was that the 
 young Indian in retiring to give me notice was too 
 hurried, and thus had broken a dead limb and so 
 had given warning of his presence to the game. 
 
A YEAR IN THE AVILDETIXKSS. 
 
 m:j 
 
 Tlio (lo^ expressed such eagerness to l)e let ^o, 
 evif.lently scentiii;^ tlu; ^ame, tluit lit last I pennitted 
 liim, lor 1 liacl no fear for his safety, lie heiiii^ none 
 of your headstrong', reckless animals, hut one that 
 knew most thoroughly how to take care of himself. 
 Still I tliou^ht he would have |)lnek to siuip the 
 hear's heels, and thus di-ive liiiii up a tree — a per- 
 formance any Indiau cur will do with perfect im- 
 punity ; in fact, I am certaiu little >Skye wouM, hut I 
 feared his valour getting the hetter of his discretion, 
 particularly if I should eonie iu the vicinity of the 
 fjuarry before it treed. 
 
 Waiting for some sound to guide our future move- 
 ments, soon Poteen's voice rung clear and sharp 
 through the woods ; again and again it eclioed over 
 the forest with a vindictiveness I was far from pre- 
 pared for. Sugar and I sprung over the fallen 
 timber, rushed tlu'ough tlio close-knitted cedars, 
 struggled through underbrush and Ijriers, still the 
 further we went the more distant became the dog's 
 voice. At length young lled-skin proposed our (Urect- 
 ing our steps for the river, which was not distant over a 
 quarter of a mile, as the chase appeared to be making 
 in that direction, although further up stream. Acting 
 on the impulse of the moment, although then 
 tolerably out of wind, we briskly struggled through 
 the brush till we reached its margin. The stream 
 
144 
 
 LONE LIFE : 
 
 having fallen considerably below liirpli-watcr line, 
 without serious impediment "sve followed up its 
 course, Poteen still giving vent to his feelings with 
 the most angry barks. 
 
 At length there was a partial silence, then a few 
 angry half-smotliered notes, when just as I cleared 
 by wading an immense granite boulder that barred 
 my path, I saw the bear leaving the water on the 
 reverse side, about a hundred and fifty yards above me, 
 with the dog close in his rear. In a moment I pitched 
 my gun to the shoulder; with a smoothbore it was 
 but a very slim chance, still I pulled the trigger, 
 giving quite six inches of elevation. At the first report 
 Bruin threw his head up and shook it several 
 times, the ball from the left barrel, although the line 
 of fire was apparently correct, I should think, from 
 it striking the water first, ricocheted over his back. 
 At the first shot I was not impressed with the belief 
 that I had hit my mark, still I believe I went so 
 close as to render it rather unpleasant. 
 
 As soon as both hound and c;ame were out of the 
 water, the dog's voice rang forth as determinedly as 
 ever, and I commenced to believe that Poteen was a 
 very ill-used animal by my doubting his pluck, and 
 that he would have the noble revenge of throwing 
 my words in his maligner's teeth by ultimately tree- 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 145 
 
 11 IV. 
 
 its 
 ,vitli 
 
 \\\<f the bear. So down stivain wo ran to wlioro 
 thore was a fonl, if a \)\[\qq couM be calle'd so that, 
 was up to your knee one stcj), to youi* shoulders tho 
 next, and if vou deviated to the riii'lit or left one. 
 yard, over the head with sonietliiui^ to spare. IMaeinii; 
 my ammunition in uiy cap, and pullinn- it well over 
 my liead, I made tlie first plnn<j^e, not stojipini^* to 
 hesitate, for to hesitate in sueh an undertakin<^, is 
 ultimately to funk it altogether. I pros[)ered till I 
 was congratulating myself that I liad got wonder- 
 fully well over the first portion, for so far I had only 
 been half-thigh deep, when plump I went off a rock 
 up to my ribs, and commenced to feel the cun-ent lift- 
 ing me, when fortunately I felt with my foot a boulder 
 whose surface I gained, and from there the shore, 
 without further accident, a pole which I picked 
 up on the beach being the means under providence 
 vouchsafed to save me from a swim. But Suiiar. 
 poor child, had no such luck (he was only thirteen 
 years of age) ; refusing to be left behind, he was set 
 swimming early in the proceedings, and landed half- 
 drowned on the side with myself, but quite one hun- 
 dred yards lower down stream. 
 
 For some minutes we had not heard Poteen ; I 
 noticed this while crossing the ford, but I accounted 
 for it by his voice being drowned by the sound of the. 
 
 VOL. I. L 
 
MG 
 
 LONi; LIFK : 
 
 «pit^ 
 
 f;|i 
 
 riisliiiio- wator. This made ini' linitatlcnt, foi* T wanted 
 to 1)0 inoviiii; after my l)atli, and no donht I ex- 
 pressed it, for yt)un<j; Ued-skin looked up in my fare 
 and .said : 
 
 *^ No liurry, Cap ; liini,*' meaninn- Poteen, " a good 
 pu])." 
 
 1 discovered afterwards tluit, they were l)edfellows, 
 and ^liister Sugar ditl not wish his eluun's eliaracter 
 aspersed. AVell, we listened and waited, waited and 
 listened half an hour; as cold an half-hour as I wish 
 my greatest enemy to pass, and were about retracing 
 our steps across the river, wIumi in the distance, aye 
 quite a mile away, the voice of my dog was distin- 
 guishable. Again there was a rush for it ; but the 
 first quarter of a mile was most execrable travelling, 
 log lay over and was interlaced with log, while 
 hemlock and cedar, with a fair proportion of long 
 straggling thorns, combined to prevent aught in the 
 shape of animal, let alone six feet of humanity, getting 
 tlirough it. To those who know a cedar swamp, I 
 Lave said enough ; to those who do not, my advice is, 
 go and try a helter-skelter race through it — if you 
 -want a new sensation. 
 
 Thank goodness, at length we reached higher 
 ground, and yard after yard our progression became 
 easier, till we reached the barren where all was 
 tolerably plain sailing in comparison to what we had 
 
A VIilAK JN THE WILDKWNMSS. 
 
 117 
 
 ij;oiu' tlir(»Ui:;Ii. A nioiiiciiiiiry lialt w.'is now calU'd to 
 recover wiiuliiiid (llivctioii, as for soiiio tinu' l)ii('k we 
 li;ul not lu'Mrd I'oteen's voice; Ijut we were not lonii; 
 destined to be (leprlved of tiiut favour, for M<j;ain and 
 Mt:;ain, with apparently renewed courai^e and vio-our, 
 lie j)roeIainied that his <i;ame had not eluded him ; but 
 our exertions were not finished, another cedar swamp 
 as bad as the first, but not so wide, had to be ci'ossed ; 
 ii;allantly we did it, althouoh leavin<^ behind extra- 
 vagantly lari^^e selvages as samples of tlie material my 
 tailor had provided me with. JIaj)py taih)r to have a 
 customer so interested in his success as to advertise 
 his wares by leaving samples of them in such distant 
 parts of the earth. 
 
 But at last Poteen, his mouth covered with blood 
 and earth, joins us, for he came a few yards to 
 meet us as if to return thanks for our coming to his 
 assistance, then with renewed vigour he rushes among 
 the neighbouring boulders, growls, scratclies, seizes 
 intervening and obstructing roots in his teeth, and 
 behaves in a general way like a very brave dog. 
 
 With full-cocked gun, and ready for all emer- 
 gencies, even to fight to the death, I examine the 
 cavity that the dog is so busy upon ; its size forbids 
 the possibility of a bear ever having entered it, and 
 all our search fails to disclose another. " Mysterious 
 
 l2 
 
148 
 
 LONE LiFi:: 
 
 certainly," tli()ii«;lit J, while ii sail and clisn])pointe(l 
 smile flitted over yomif^ Ked-skin's face. (Quietly he 
 seized Poteen by the tail, and <_'avc him a hoist <mt of 
 the hole he Avas excavating (which his bedfellow did 
 not choose to resent), then scinatted and almost crawled 
 out of si<i;ht headforemost, returning; innnediatelv 
 afterwards to daylight with a porcii])ine by the hind 
 leg. 
 
 I didn't say much, I was afraid to, for fear the 
 bear might be near, and that he'd have the satisfaction 
 of chuckling over our being sold. Well, Sugar killed 
 that porcupine, not in the least out of spite, 'oh 
 no ! aiul Poteen was left ten minutes before the cpiills 
 were picked out of his lips ; this delay, I am under 
 the impression, was not caused by forgetfulness. But 
 if any one should sec cruelty in the latter part of 
 the preceding narrative, remember the disappoint- 
 ment. 
 
 It was our fault and not the dog's that the bear 
 was not treed, for if we had stood still when Poteen 
 first came up to Bruin, instead of alarming him by 
 breaking through the brush so recklessly, he would 
 never have thought of rushing away, but have gone 
 to tree in the first convenient place. Again, the 
 trail of a porcupine is so strong that not one dog in 
 fifty can resist the temptation of pursuing them 
 
A YKAR IX Tin: WILDEIIXKS.S. 
 
 MO 
 
 wlicMK'vcr opportunity offers, tlosortlui:^ even tlio 
 wai'nit'st scent of other iriinie for tlie pleasure of a 
 worr\ , altliou^Ii^t is certain to result in ii snout full 
 of spines. 
 
 I)is[)irited, cold, and wet, wc^ot home, the jauntiest 
 of the party heini^ Poteen, who carried his tail over 
 his hurdles with a swirl^, indicatinu!; that he lal)ourcd 
 under the helief that he had distinguished himself, 
 and tliat ho was regarded hy his master with eyes of 
 unusual favour. 
 
 The Canadian ])orcupinc, althougli not unlike his 
 j)rototype of the old world, differs in many essential 
 points, more especially in regard to the length of the 
 spines, which never exceed three inches, and also in the 
 size and power of its tail, which strikes right and left 
 wlien its possessor is assailed, with force sufficient to 
 cover with spines whatever soft substance it conies in 
 collision with, and these being barbed, are exceedingly 
 difficult to extract without breaking, when if such 
 takes place severe pain and inflammation is certain to 
 ensue to the recipient of the objectionable shafts. 
 
 Essentially a cave dweller, still, except in winter, 
 they spend much of their tiir.e abroad wandering in- 
 dolently in search of mast or berries, or climbing 
 slowly to the highest limbs of trees that will support 
 their weight, to obtain a favourite article of their 
 
150 
 
 LONE LIFE; 
 
 diet — buds, young leaves, or bark of the latest growth. 
 An impression seems to prevail that they are in- 
 capable of activity ; but such is a mistake, for if so 
 minded they can run ^vith sufKcient speed to outstrip 
 the swiftest man. 
 
 By the Indians they are mucli prized as an article 
 of food, and for their ([uills, which are used, after 
 being stained various bright colours, to ornament the 
 different curiosities the Red-man fabricates out of 
 birch bark for disposal among the settlements. 
 
 Early in autumn this animal becomes loaded with 
 fat, and a little later their rutting season connnences. 
 In spring the female produces, two being the number 
 of her annual family, which must require as much, 
 if not more, licking into shape than the young bears, 
 for more ugly, uncouth little wretches, it has never 
 been my luck to see. 
 
 Although the Canadian porcupine is a most harm- 
 less creature, still the animosity of nearly every animal 
 that has sudlcient streno;th is directed aiinlnst it, the 
 bear alone excepted, who Iuvari!d)ly gives it a wide 
 berth, and will even desert a favourite den who^^e sanc- 
 tuary has been violated by the j)resencc of the prickly 
 intruder. To the wild-cat, lynx, and wolf he is a 
 favourite prey ; but these marauders have been known 
 to lose their lives from the spines they have had 
 
A YKAli IN Tin: WILDi:UNES.S. 
 
 151 
 
 stuck III tliL'in workiiiix their way into their brain or 
 other vital parts. It is a straii^^o circiinistancc that 
 although (l()i!;s of Eiir()[)oan extraction suffer so se- 
 verely in an attack u[)<)U these animals, the little 
 Indian cur seldom uv over receives the slightest injury 
 In such a rencontre. 
 
 lUit to revert to the bear. Su^ar pronouiu'cd it ii 
 lon<J5-le<j;ged one ; the reason of this beln<r that the 
 Indians recon;nIse two tlistinet species of black bear, 
 the short-leamHl or hoif" bear, and the loni^-leiXiied. 
 I am disposed to indorse tins opinion, not from tlie 
 difference of size and shape, as from their dissi- 
 milarity of character. The lonii;-lei>m'd Bruin is a 
 marauder, a flesh-eater by choice, sheep, hoii's, and 
 even youn«jr horned cattle l)elni;' favourite articles of 
 his diet; antl, althou<;li he will generally avoid 
 human beings, still if his temper has been rulHed, or 
 Ills larder at low ebb, there Is no saylnii;, but just ii 
 possibility that he may force himself u[)on your ac- 
 quaintance. At this season of the year a reason may 
 be that they are prone to forget their good manners^ 
 for they have only h\tely returned to society after a 
 long and protracted fast. 
 
 The settlers on the outskirts of civilisation know 
 this to their cost, if they permit their calves and 
 sheep to wander far from the homestead ; for if mooin 
 
r 
 
 U2 
 
 LONE MFH: 
 
 comes ncross ihvin ho will not loii^ li(.'>.ItiitL* to provide 
 iiiinsc'ir willi ill! ample iiR'ul. 
 
 I am Mot fond of llniUiii little jol)s, Imt unless I 
 attend and assist in the canoe mendin<r, I know that 
 Muster IJed-skin will hut indid'erently perform his 
 lahour; for although he is willing enough wiien I 
 uni ])resi'nt, leave him half an hour to himself, 
 and the cliarm of di«j;;'"iny' out a wood-chuck, or ex- 
 humiiii:; a ground s(piirrel arc so attractive, that he ap- 
 pears unahle to resist the tem])tation. After all, he 
 is but a child, and with less faults than many of our 
 civilised ones. Thus 1 found myself at work on the 
 canoe, sewing up rents, putting in ribs, and ultinnitely 
 plasterini^' with <^um every jjortion of the outer skin 
 that exhibited a doubtful ap})earance. IJefore the 
 sun set I had the satisfaction to learn that my labour 
 was rewarded; for after paddling np and down the 
 stream for half an hour her interior was as drv as a 
 ^bone. So, please Providence, I shall try the trout 
 to-morrow. 
 
 The next day broke ;j;loomy and overcast, with 
 rather a thick mist liann;in<j: on the surface of the 
 water ; this was scarcely promising, but by half-past 
 nine the sun burst forth, and a gentle easterly wind 
 sprung up, clearing off the fog as if by magic. 
 
 Oommenciiig at the rapid above the shanty, I 
 
A YHAU IS Tin: wir,ni:uNi:ss. 
 
 1 
 
 ).) 
 
 fislic'd down to wlicrc the canoe Imv ivadv f«)r launch- 
 iii«/, a distance of aI)ont a linndivd and fifty yards, 
 taking seven line trout, averaLrin;^ over two pounds 
 eacli. 
 
 With mv liiiiit tackle and rod thcv afforded nie 
 over an hour's splendid sport; audi was nnich in- 
 debted to SiiLjjar for the skilful manner in which 
 he handled the landing-net. All who are pi'oflcients 
 with the fly-rod know how much de])en(is upon your 
 attendant in this department ; and of all [irolicients 
 I have met with, to this youth I yield the palm. 
 Skill in all descriptions of lii'ld sports is iidierent in 
 the Indian; through successive i;eneralions they have 
 cultivated it, their })ro«^enitors of hundreds of years 
 ai^o l)elievin<:f, as their descendants do now, that 
 to be a successful hunter is the acme of human ac- 
 comidishmonts. 
 
 "When about to sten into the canoe the two Indian 
 girls from Schubeii Lake (for such Antoinc said it 
 was named) joined us. 1 thought that they had 
 brought word from him, for he started in that direc- 
 tion, and had been «vone now nearly three weeks, he 
 having exhibited a penchant for the younger girl, who, 
 although only sixteen, was a woman in size and form. 
 
 '* Good day, Capen," chattered both, as they came 
 out on the pebbly beach from the woods. *' I hopes 
 
IM 
 
 LONi: LiFi:: 
 
 you well, and liavc |»!«'Mty ^ood Inmt, pli'Mty cvcrj*- 
 tliiii^V* continii'.Ml the duo. 
 
 "Tiiaulxs, thanks! have you .scrn Antoinc /" 1 
 ri'spondtMl, aihhvssin^' njysclf t<» th(» iddcr. 
 
 At tliis apparently Innocent ipK ion, the lonnr 
 (hirk eyes of the tr\\\ sccined to dilate uith sup- 
 pressed emotion. 'VUrw (h'awinn; licrsclf up to the 
 extent of her hei^lit, a woudert'nl improvement to 
 lier prcvlitusly in(h)lent-h)okin^' II^MU'i', and tossin^^ lier 
 liead^with an air worthy of any Indian (pieen, siie in- 
 digmmtly ri'plii-d : 
 
 " Antoine, Antoine! what I eare about Inm. lie 
 not warrior, he not chief, he not <j;ood luuiter. Ask 
 this squaw for him," j)ointiii^ to hi'r sister. '' )VliIte 
 man, like AntoiiK', no better than woman ; he only 
 paddle canoe, and cut the tree for Englishman" 
 (alludlni^ to his l)einii; a bunberman). " \\'bat I! 1! 
 child of chief's child no care about such sort ;" and 
 with addilional indiniiation, "M bait wolf ti'ap with 
 such as him," lookiuf^ with contempt upon her com- 
 panion, whom 1 now learned, for the first time, was 
 only ber half-sister, and who ap[)eai'ed to cower under 
 her indiiinant associate's aniiTy iilance. 
 
 A more [)erfect piece of acting 1 never saw. 
 Madame Celeste as Naomi would have been nowhere 
 by her side, although this embryo heroine was draped 
 
A YHAR IN Tin: WILPmNT.S.S. 
 
 155 
 
 III tlu' oi'illnaiy, uiiattractlvo Iii<Iiaii costiiiiu' of dirty 
 Itlaiiki'ts. 
 
 It Wits not (lil)i(Milt to SCO that this [iroud <hims(>l 
 wns offoudod; l\»r Ium* Imst heaved, the hii'^i' ti'nd(»iis 
 of hur iu'(.'k stood out swolU'ii in ivllct*, nliih' 'icr vye 
 .still rt'taiiiL'il the li^lit of suppri'sscd aii^rv rniotioii. 
 
 Making 8omu lunnhii^r;;iM«5, nieaniugiess excuse 
 al)out Hot deHlrin^ to offend her — tliat she had en- 
 tirely misunderstood me — 1 ordered Su^ar to shove 
 the eanoe on shon.' and slepjied out upon the heaeli. 
 The youn«;er <^irl willingly shook hands with me, the 
 elder turning her side to my advances refused every 
 overture I made for the re-estahlishmeiit of n<)()(l 
 feeling'. 
 
 At length the youn<;er S(juaw ])roduceil from ini- 
 derneath lier hlanket a basket of swamp craid)erries, 
 a most aceeplahle addition to our cuisine, saying at 
 the same lime, " M\' present." 
 
 Knowing well that the Indian never ij;ives without 
 expectin*^ a return, 1 .'isked both to the shanty, where 
 1 had some trillini' Brunnnam'ni triid^ets laid in stock 
 f' • such occasions. The donor of the n-ift followed 
 ine, but ' le elder stood obsthiate and uni'elentln<^, 
 not even deifrnin^ to turn her eyes in the direction 
 Will h we went. 
 
 After a triflini: search — for what man without a 
 
15G 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 l|; 
 
 petticoat to look after liIs interests ever has his traps 
 ill order ? — I turned out from the hottoin of my valise 
 a couple of rosaries of bright beads, the one having 
 a green, the other an opaque blue o'oss attaehed. 
 These I handed to Antoine's flame, telling her at the 
 same time which was for her half-sister ; and with 
 these, supplemented by a small canister of coarse 
 gunpowder as a present for her father, we took our 
 way back to the landing-])lace. 
 
 On arriving there the })etulant beauty had dift- 
 appetired, the other girl all smiles and good nature, 
 dashing off at a run into the woods after litr recusant 
 companion. 
 
 Before getting into the canoe, Sugar said, '- Lock 
 there, Capen — there — on that sapling — don't you 
 see ?" And at last I discovered what he alluded to ; 
 a beautiful pair of moccasins, lined throughout with 
 squirrel skin : left, as the boy said, doubtless repeat- 
 ing the words of the donor, " for the Capen, as he 
 have no squaw to work for him." 
 
 This rencontre was certainly amusing, to say the 
 least of it, and as I moralised while paddling up the 
 stream on what the dark-skinned daughter of the 
 forest would look like in crinoline, panier, and 
 chignon, I came to the conclusion that the costume 
 of Lady Godiva was far better suited to her graceful 
 form. 
 
A YEAK IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 157 
 
 Indian women when old arc excessively nujly, 
 their figures becoming bent and slouching, doubtless 
 the result of the heavy loads they have to carry, for 
 the brunt of transportation across portages, packing 
 home game, and paddling the canoes falls upon tliem, 
 and tlicse restless people are ever changing their 
 quai'ters. But among the young girls, who do little or 
 nothing till mated, one will occasionally see a figure 
 the perfection of human form, and with hands and 
 feet, which for size and symmetry would outrival 
 those of our best bred votary of fashion. 
 
158 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 CIIArTER XI. 
 
 Two liours* fishing, commencing about a mile above 
 the slianty, was rewarded with nearly two dozen 
 trout, tlic largest being (juitc six pounds, ^fy s])ort 
 was excellent, and when a fish rose he meant it, 
 gulping the fly down with such vigour, thnt you 
 could actually hear the process. One of my captives, 
 a fine deep made fellow that Avould have turned the 
 scales at four pounds, missed the fly in his first break, 
 from the circumstance that I was in the act of 
 lifting the line from the water preparatory to making 
 a fresh cast when he rose. In my second effort, 
 however, I hooked him, not in the mouth, but in the 
 flank near the vent. Fortune, however, favoured me, 
 for the water was comparatively still, the river here 
 being expanded to nearly double its usual breadth. Of 
 course I lost much time before my attendant got him 
 in the net ; but that was not to be grumbled at, for if 
 
A vi:au in Tin; wildehness. 
 
 1 ;V.) 
 
 tills little o])Iso(lo hud occumMl In ji rapid, T imist 
 liiive siiiMslu'd sonic of my tacisic. l^'or soino tiino 
 after octtini:^ fust to this fish, I \vu'> uiidci* the im- 
 pression thut he Avus u Icviuthini, for all the struin I 
 dure pnt on the rod und line would not ruise him iin 
 inch fi'om the bottom where he kept eirelini^ round 
 in till! most clockwork like mumier; l)nt it is the last 
 straw thut hreaks the camel's buck, und the name 
 golden-flunked bcuuty ultimutely found that to his 
 cost. 
 
 Several times while fishintf I obtained a good view 
 of a large otter; he doubtless was well aware of my 
 vicinity, for he confined his marauding exploits to the 
 ])ool above, wdiere his exertions appeared to be indefa- 
 tigable and most successful. This river really swarms 
 with these destructive gentry, and the amount of havoc 
 they commit amongst the fish must be enormous, for 
 frequently I pick up trout of several pounds out 
 of which only a couple of moutlifuls appear to have 
 been taken, and that invariably from the same place, 
 the thick of the back between the extremity of the 
 skull and the first spine of the dorsal fin. 
 
 The colour of the trout in this river is remarkably 
 beautiful, quite equal to those I have captured in the 
 State of Maine ; in form they are shorter and thicker 
 in proportion to their length, and I am under the 
 
ill 
 
 160 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 i 
 
 
 impression, stronger and more active in conse- 
 quence. 
 
 The various colourings, lifrhts an^l shadows up this 
 river (which here flows by compass from nearly due 
 south to north), are most beautiful when the sun gets 
 towards tlie horizon, and the perfect stillness that 
 reigns around fairly entitle it to the soubri(piet of the 
 Lone Kiver. It will be many years before the steps of 
 civilisation reach here, for the soil is generally too 
 stony for the agriculturalist to select, while lands 
 without this objection, further to the south, where 
 winter of course is less severe, are still waiting for 
 occupiers. 
 
 Again, althouo-h the hillsides are clothed witli an 
 abundance of noble timber, the lumberman will long 
 give this neio;hbourhood a wide berth, for without the 
 assistance of dams thev never could succeed in float- 
 ing their logs down to the parent stream, which every 
 stick of timber must reach ere it be convertible 
 into money. But this immunity to the forest mo- 
 narchs will not last for ever, for when the lordly 
 pines have been cleared off from more accessible 
 places, capital and labour will be brought into play, 
 and ugly unsightly barriers will be erected, changing 
 the rapid and eddying pool into sullen ponds and the 
 summer haunt of the moose into a swamp. 
 
 Then the saw-mill will follow to awake the echoes 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 IGl 
 
 an 
 
 with its monotonous and incessant rrroanin^ at the 
 constant labour expected from it by its hard task- 
 master of an owner ; and tlie now clear pellucid water 
 will bear ujjon its fair bosom tons of sawdust, poi- 
 soning with its resinous qualities every hole and reach 
 of the river's course, till not a fish is left where 
 thousands had previously existed. 
 
 Go on ! go on I thou march of civilisation ; de- 
 stroy all that is beautiful and pure in nature ; chango 
 the untrodden and uncontaminated wilds into a 
 second Black district if you will, where the sons of 
 toil arc as unattractive as the country they labour 
 and sweat in ; where human pig-styes are jumbled 
 together in such numbers that the air stinks of them ; 
 till the day come when the adage of *' dog eat dog" 
 be verified, from the superabundance of the human 
 population upon earth. 
 
 On our course homewards numerous hooded 
 mergansers (a very scarce bird in Europe) passed 
 us, winging their way westward ; as many were 
 alone, nesting has dc-abtless commenced in earnest. 
 A beautiful bird in plumage, they are remarkably 
 swift upon the wing, but totally unfit for food, except 
 when killed in the flapper state, for the flesli after- 
 wards becomes fishy and tough as fiddle-strings. 
 
 Paddling a canoe has this advantage over rowing, 
 
 VOL I. 
 
 M 
 
162 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 you sit facing tlic direction in which you proceed, 
 enabling you to sec all that transpires in front. Thus 
 Master Sugar, who was in the bow, called my atten- 
 tion to a rock near which we had to pass; on its 
 surface was a large otter, and at his feet a dead 
 trout of several pounds weight. This poacher I have 
 often seen before, or one of his relatives, for the 
 stone on which he rests is not more than three hun- 
 dred yards above the shanty, and frequently to enjoy 
 an out-door pipe I come thus far. Bending forward 
 cautiously, I soon disengage my gun from its cover- 
 ing ; but the loutre, as the boy calls it, is too wide 
 awake by half, for long before we come within 
 shooting distance, he has glided noiselessly under the 
 surface of the water. It is utterly useless to fire' 
 long shots at these animals, for they are gifted with 
 extraordinary vitality ; the trap therefore is the only 
 way to destroy them, for they are so exceedingly 
 wary that it is but by the merest accident you can 
 ever come within short range. 
 
 " Sugar, I'll give you half a cup of molasses if you 
 ■catch that fellow," I said. 
 
 " I try very hard ; suppose you lend me trap." 
 This I promised to do, and I am not without hope 
 that ere long I shall see my copper-coloured com- 
 panion dressing the otter's hide, for now the canoe is 
 
A YEAH IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 163 
 
 you 
 
 afloat tlicro is little difficulty in rcacliiiif;; this rock 
 wliicli appears to bo his favourite resting-place. 
 
 Antoinc's lonij absence bcmns to make me feel 
 alarmed for liis safety; not that he is mueli of a com- 
 panion, and far from loquacious, unless when his 
 tonu!;uc is cansed to wag through tlie stimulating 
 effects of a stron^r glass of "vvhisky, when ho becomes 
 fi new man and will jabber with the volubility of a 
 French Canadian, which is surely saying enough, 
 of the Yellowstone and Yoescmmite Valley, of the 
 Apache and the Blackfoot Indians, of the 8anta-Fe 
 trail, and the Hudson Bay forts, but never a word 
 about his future hopes and aspirations ; no, that sub- 
 ject is sealed to him even when, as the Yankees 
 say, he is as drunk as a biled owd. That he is ar- 
 ranging, if still alive — and he is not a likely man to 
 meet an accident — some grand movement on the 
 chess-board of his future life, I am perfectly certain. 
 Nevertheless, with all his faults I miss his weather- 
 beaten face and nervous unsteady eye. 
 
 As fishing will probably occupy my attention for 
 some time to come, and as the prospects are that the 
 take wdll be large, after a careful inspection of the 
 neighbouring trees I discovered one wdiich with a 
 little labour could be converted into an admirable 
 smoke-house, for by this process of curing I hope to 
 
 M 2 
 
164 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 be al)lo to siivo a larfjo proportioii of the ti'oiit wliicli 
 otlierwiso must cortaiiily Iktoiuo lost. Althou^^li I 
 can liandli" an axo fairly for an ol<l coinitryinan, still 
 I am not a jijood (•lioj)por — far from it, and it is a 
 description of labour that assorts worse than all others 
 with my stiff drilled haek ; thus you may imai^ine 
 I had no lov(^ for sueh work. Shirking my allotted 
 job as lon«^ as [ eould, I finally beeauu^ ashamed of 
 myself, and set to impulsively and with a i^reat deal 
 more than the recpiisite vi«j;our, as non-persevering 
 people invariably do. First a sta^o had to be built 
 about fourteen feet from the ground, so as to enable 
 the tree to be cut off at the requisite height ; it took 
 the greater ])ortion of a day to see this part of the la- 
 bour satisfactorily performed. Sugar was the first to 
 ascend the now structure, and with evident satisfac- 
 tion, after tapping the stem around, informed mc that 
 the shell Avas thinner up there than at the base. 
 Next day the youngster's words were verified, for a 
 couple of hours' labour, about equally divided between 
 us, laid the monarch of the woods upon mother earth, 
 from whence it had jjrobably taken hundreds of 
 years to raise his once towering head. As this 
 tree was perfectly dead, with fire and axe we soon 
 cleared off the debris that surrounded the intended 
 smoke-house, for the proximity of a brush-heap 
 
A YKAIl IN TIIK WILDKIINKS.S. 
 
 105 
 
 would li:iv(! foniuMl ji most {icccpt.'iMc lildlii^-place 
 for any thicvlM^ clcnizt'ii of thu foi-cst, who ini<;lit 
 possi'ss covetous iuioutiouM towards our stores. 
 Tlicu an aj)(!rtnrc' in the side of the standiii*^ stump 
 was made, suHli'Ieiit for a man to enter, and cross 
 pieces ))e«4^fed against the interior for tlie rods to 
 rest upon from wliieh the fisli liun<^. Kacli day 
 we added to our stores till thc^ place was full, and 
 Master Su^,^•u• (lis<rusted, for to hiiu I intrusted the 
 interior mana<^ement of this useful domestic adjunct, 
 no very a<^reealjlc task, for he invariahly returned 
 from it as black as any London chinmey-swecp. 
 
 AMtieijiatini^ that some wandering J3ruin might bo 
 attracted to the smoke-house by the pleasant odours 
 that arose therefrom, I had both the door and roof 
 closed with the heaviest materials that could be 
 utilised for the purpose, for I had no desire, after all 
 the trouble and time I had spent, to provide food with 
 or without your leave, for strangers, let alone wild 
 beasts. 
 
 Some days after the last-named job was over, 
 I was sitting in the shanty enjoying my pipe, for I 
 had been fishing in the morning, when Poteen and 
 Skye raised such a hullabaloo that I left my sanc- 
 tuary to see the cause of the disturbance. Of this I 
 was not long kept in ignorance, for on the beach close 
 
1C6 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 to wlioro the canoe lay stood one of the largest moose 
 I liad previously ever seen. Almost witli stolid iiidlffe- 
 rcnco he regarded the dogs, only occasionally lilting a 
 foot to hick or strike them, "vvhen they approached 
 closer than lie thought their presence desirable. 
 Hoping the animal had not seen me I ran for my 
 gun, but when I returned he^iad gone, duubtless 
 having winded me, as the current of air though light 
 was moving directly in the reverse direction to what 
 would have been desirable. If there is anything in 
 this world that can go through timber like a large 
 bull moose, except an elephant, 1 am ignorant of its 
 existence. 
 
 For several minutes I could hear the huge creature 
 breaking through the dead-wood and undergrowth, 
 his pace doubtlessly being accelerated by the sharp 
 teeth of Poteen, wlio from the dash of colley blood ho 
 possesses never lost an opportunity of trying his 
 tusks on the hind-legs of a retreating foe. 
 
 I was rather grieved at losing such a chance of re- 
 plenishing my supplies, more particularly as what we 
 could not use fresh would have been improved by a 
 week in the smoke-house. Moreover, the brute's coat 
 appeared in fine condition, the greater part of last 
 year's hair having fallen being indicated by the dark- 
 ness of its present colour. 
 
 i '!' 
 
A YEAR IN Tin: WILDERNESS. 
 
 107 
 
 Tlio fresh antlors, too, were only half-developed, and 
 as 1 wanted sueli a set of horns in the moss, to add 
 to otlier trophies, I felt that I had made rather u 
 bungle of the whole affair, which might so easily 
 liave been obviated by following a rule I had a 
 thousand times formed mentally, viz., not to stir 
 abroad when a elumour was raised l)y my four-footed 
 companions, without taking my double-barrel with 
 me. 
 
II 
 
 1G8 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 CIIAPTEU XII. 
 
 MosQTTiTOER, wliicli luado their nppcnraiico n few 
 ilays since, are now becoming numerous, with an occa- 
 sional bhiek-fly aiUled to their l)loodthirsty phaUuixes. 
 I quite expect these pests to increase till they become 
 unbearable, when I intend to shut up house, and start 
 for the high grounds that He a good hundred miles 
 to the north, that is if any reliance can be placed on 
 what Antoinc and the principal hunter at Schuben 
 Lake say. 
 
 Two days after having seen the moose, I was again 
 aroused about noon by Poteen and Skye striving to 
 outvie each other in their vocal powers. Pulling 
 down my gun from its perch, I carefully left the 
 house to take an observation, but instead of finding 
 that game was the object of their wrath, I discovered 
 that it was an Indian dog in the society of the dusky 
 forest beauties. Onwards they came tripping, all 
 radiant with smiles, and apparently in the very best 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDnilNESS. 
 
 ir.o 
 
 of liuinoiirs, the elder Histor not oxccptetl, till lU'iir 
 c'liou^'h to siiluto iiie with tlio woll-known terni Cjukui, 
 after which both held out their hands, Avith a certain 
 amount of timidity attached to the movement, in- 
 dicating that it was a mode of salutation unknown 
 to tiieir race until thrown into contact with the pale- 
 faced intruders on their lands. 
 
 My visitors' names I never could remember, for in 
 each there were about a dozen syllables, so I deter- 
 mined to re-christen them. On our way back to the 
 shanty I ransacked my memory for suitable appella- 
 tions. In my opinion white-swans, deer-foots, wild- 
 ducks, blue-birds, and lau^hin^-waters, had l)een done 
 to death, so I settled u])on Saucy for the elder and 
 Fatty-plumpy for the junior. I exi)lained to them 
 in the best manner I could, much to the merriment of 
 Master Sugar, who had just returned with a young 
 owl that he had abducted from its parents, that from 
 some inexplainablc formation in an Englishman's 
 jaw, he was unable to string a quantity of syllables 
 together like Wa-ha-sa-bunk-a-suck, &c., and 
 that in future if they honoured me with their 
 presence, they should be known to the reader's 
 humble servant by the names I have already men- 
 tioned. I was scarcely prepared to be question ^d 
 upon what their respective new appellations meant ; 
 
170 
 
 LONE lifk: 
 
 t 
 
 ■I .1- 
 
 but mIilmi f iDiiiid lliis was tlio lirst ([uory oacli made, 
 well — tlu'ii 1 had to make a virtue of necessity, 
 and i^o tlu'ou;:;li a pieee of acting, a tiling 1 never 
 could do ip 'uy life to the satisfaction of an Kngllsh 
 audience, althou<i;h several times attempted ; however, 
 I had a hope that these ])rimitive children of the 
 lone land wouKl not he such fastidious critics as their 
 civilised sisters. 
 
 l\isinrr from my seat, for we had entered the 
 shanty, I pointed to the elder. Putting emphasis on 
 the word Saucy, I said, " Saucy means," and then 
 found myself at a full stop. " Confound it," thcmght 
 I to myself, " brace yourself together, an old stager 
 like you to be nonplussed in this way is absurd. 
 Come, igo in for the acting. Your critics have 
 never seen Vestris, i\Irs. Stirling, or Agnes Ro- 
 bertson, and therefore it is out of their power to 
 make comparison^ which arc odious." ^' True, oh 
 king I" J. responded lO my argument (of course 
 sotto rocc)y and Avitli additional force I pronounced 
 the word '^^ Sauc>'." Grave and earnest remained 
 my audience. This was reassuring — a titter would 
 have done for me. Then I went through, mind you, 
 wit '.out discredit to myself, the most difficult of any 
 one to please, all the «^hanning, attractive, impudent, 
 yet nice ways of a petulant, saucy girl. I didn't do 
 
 
A YHAIi JN THE WILDEKNESS. 
 
 171 
 
 
 I 
 
 it hy halves wlioii once 1 wiis startfJ, Ijiit iMilcrod into 
 tho .s|)irit of tlio tliinL% At ()n(^ moment I ])rctt!n(lcd 
 will) my left to take tlie ri^i;lit liand, tlion either 
 affectedly drew It away, or smacked tiie ohjectionahle 
 ])aw lor ils attem])ted presumption; tlien I asHumed 
 a countenance as if some one was speaking to me, 
 and shar[>ly turjied my ]>ack as if I desire<l no fur- 
 ther converse with them; finally winding up willi 
 several stam])s of my feet, at the same time assumlntr 
 the most Indignant ex])ression of countenance I could 
 muster for the occasion, beckoninjr with botli my 
 hands as if to repel the nearer a[>proach of some 
 invisible stranger. 
 
 Would you believe it, although a knowledge of 
 the claque has not yet reached this neigidjourhood, 
 I received by look and gesture immense ap})robatio7i, 
 so subsided into a seat and rested complacently upon 
 my Avell-earned laurels. 
 
 Fatty -pi umpy and Sugar ciiaffed Saucy im- 
 mensely, yet the proud Indian girl took it all in good 
 part, and joined in the merriment with as much gusto 
 as the others. 
 
 After a fair allowance of time for the effects of 
 my i)revious eloquence to pass off, I again rose to my 
 legs, when my audience became such attentive lis- 
 teners, that their gravity was almost fatal to my 
 
172 
 
 LONE LIFE : 
 
 <;(HKuninlty. " Oli, wliat an cx.implel" I liear he who 
 struts tlic iniinic staj^o oxchuni, if one of such shouKl 
 ever read this hook ; hut I douht it niucli, for I never 
 met II knii!;ht of the soek and huskiii eitlier iu the 
 huntiu'i'-fieid, anuJUL"" tlie lieatlier, or iu thi' ij-ohlen 
 stuhhles, so as a cdass T fear thev are not h)vers of 
 
 ' %■' 
 
 rural life, so scarcely likely to see this. ^Vel!, to the 
 younger sister, lot)kinfT steadily iu the girl's face, I 
 said, " Fatty-pluui})y means this ;" I hlew my cheeks 
 out, stuck a representative of a ])illow inside my coat, 
 and waddled uj) and down the limited space that was 
 unoccupied. Again the audience were convulsed, and 
 I, satisfied with my efforts, again took my seat, causing 
 my countenance to assume more than tlio usual seve- 
 rity of expression ; for far from it was my desire to 
 allow my hearers to imagine that a great mind like 
 mine could be in the slightest degree affected by such 
 frivolities. However, I found it hard to keep my 
 gravity, so I braced myself till I looked like adiunant, 
 if such an expression is correct, for although I have 
 heard the simile I do not remember ever to have seen 
 the article. And Avhen the strain upon my muscles 
 required relaxing, I lit a pipe ; for when expelling 
 smoke from your mouth or nostrils any contortion 
 of features is supposed to be necessary to attain the 
 end desired. 
 
 For some minutes complete silence reigned among 
 
 m 4i 
 
A YEAR IN THE WIIJtHUNESS. 
 
 173 
 
 mv ;!;u('sts, wlicii tlio elder sister rose, m'kI ;i(Ivan('In<r 
 
 towards nie (lisuluyed upon her neck tlie cross that 
 I liad sent l)y her sister, the younger one immediately 
 following; suit; and I had tlu! i^i'atification of knowiiif^ 
 from the position wherc^ the hauhles rested, that their 
 recipients highly valued my trumj)ery <^ifts. 
 
 As J could not ^ive away my ^ew<r;iws every (Lay, 
 and ^' '■ had doubtless an abundance at homo of fisli 
 and venison, 1 ransacked my brain to find out what I 
 could offer niyLnie-H. Sugar's love of molasses at 
 once struck m j as a probable weakness of the youn^ 
 ladies ; so I r'''''*ed upon three birch-bark ])lates 
 about a tabic spoonful and handed the delicacy to 
 each. Their enjoyment of it was truly delli^htful and 
 refreshini^ to look at, but not having fin<^er-glasses 
 and table-napkins to [dace at their service, their 
 ])liysio£Tnomies afterwards, although a little less so from 
 the colour tliat nature had given them, reminded me 
 of a tiddy-widdy, darling little duck-a-daisy, that a 
 would-be successful candidate for a seat In Parlia- 
 ment must kiss, or for ever after lose the goodwill 
 of a doating mother, and througli her an affectionate 
 father's vote. 
 
 As the afternoon was advancing and the day pro- 
 mised sport, I determined to go up the river a mile 
 or so and fish home. My guests accompanied me to 
 the canoe, but instead of biding adieu when we em- 
 
171 
 
 LONE LIFK : 
 
 biirUrd, S:nu'y proj^osrcl my ox|icllini;' Sii^mk, and 
 takin<j; liis])]a('e: so j)loasiMl ^^as ilir y()un!i;s{('i' tliat 
 he ^ot out into tlio water without askiun- jJiM'inlssion, 
 as if my Mi'oeptanoo was a matter of cotirse. In ;i 
 few moments 1 had him seatiul a^ain, wlien I assured 
 the huUes tliat 1 ])referred at present paihUinn' my own 
 can(H\ Still sometliiui!; appeared to be on their minds 
 whieli they wislied to say, for no movenuMit did they 
 make t(v indieate their intention to (K'part. Sauey, 
 liowever, broke tlie iee. 
 
 "You got no stjuaw ; me be your S(|uaw." 
 
 " And me," said Katty-i)hnni^y. 
 
 It never rains but it pours ; two wives offered a lone 
 lone man in the space of a minuie ; there nnist be some 
 dee]), dee}> design underneath all this impenetv.d)le to 
 my opaque brain, so 1 declined their i^ffers with thanks, 
 protesting that so serious a matter Avould require 
 time for consideration, at the same time I thought 
 it advisable to remind Fatty-plumpy that Antoine 
 was her admirer, at which she snapped her fingers, 
 and with more energy than grace exclaimed, *' That 
 for Antoine." 
 
 I think, gentle reader, you will pardon me if I 
 confess that I began to imagine that I must be a 
 deuced good-looking fellow, or the two belles of the 
 neighbourhood would not be in love with me at the 
 
A YKAU IN Tirr: wildiirness. 
 
 \7n 
 
 samo time, juhI not only tluit, sluuv my carossps be- 
 tvvcrii IIkmii ; l)iit fill this spcculalioii was nitlilcssly 
 (lis])('ll('(l l)y Fatty-i)lnm[)y ('xclaimiiiLS lickiii'i; licr 
 alrt'ady wcll-dauhcd lips : 
 
 " WluMi you take time, Cajx'ii, and I yonr s([uaw, 
 vou ixivc me molasses every day." 
 
 "(lood-hye gii'ls, l>c virtuous and you will he happy," 
 I ])athetleally loudly hut ralliei* hun-iedly exel.almed, 
 at tlu^ sauK^ time shakinii; my liaiid as if wavinij; a 
 fond adieu, ^vhile I muttered sof.to voce to Suii;ar : 
 
 "Di]) your paddle deej) you yellow-skiiuicd youuf; 
 scoundrel, and i^ct mc out of this iiei^hhourhood as 
 soon as ])()ssihle." 
 
 The hist I saw of the l)elles, they were young lady- 
 like, one arm around the waist of the other, saunter- 
 iu_i5 od' into the woods. Would such a mianncr have 
 been assumed if cither had been jealous of the other? 
 Impossible, I mentally ejaculated. Is there not food 
 here for thought ? For among all the young ladies 
 I Jiave had the fortune to be acquainted with, I 
 cannot name one who would be so self-denying as to 
 share her husband with another, au co)itraire resent his 
 paying even a sister more than the most common- 
 place courtesy. Is jealousy, then, the result of edu- 
 cation ? The subject is worthy the consideration of 
 the School Board. 
 
r 
 
 17G 
 
 i,i>Ni; 1,1 I'M : 
 
 Tli(' sliock ihnl inv lUM'vtiU'^ systoin li;i<l siiff'cn'il 
 WMs rntluM' lt>(» lUMcIi lor \\u\ vo\\svi\\w\\\\v I I't'lt 
 I'MtluM* out of s«)rls, Mild willioiil llio iiriloiii' iiiid ru- 
 tl)iisi;ism tu'i'ossurv to I'liiov ni\ lisliin:'- ; ullimiitclv I 
 \os\ inv OMstiniX-Hiic, linullv liroko tlii> tip of mv rod, 
 St) I dt'sistod tVoiM rnrlluM' cn'orls iiii;:ilnst, tlic trout, 
 oonsldoriui;- I li;id *:!^o\\c throuiijli iMioui:;li lliat iliiy for 
 OHO man. 
 
 Tliat i^vtMiiu^ I liurrirdly ixio my meal aud lookrd 
 forwanl to a louir aud sound uiujlit's ivst, hut rvorvtiiiutr 
 
 d M 
 
 \l 
 
 n|>|>i'ariM diuornniuM to op])()so my <losn*(. 
 
 (U 
 
 1^ 
 
 irst my 
 
 i'avourito \n\)c took a lit of ohstinacy and woidd not 
 draw : that haviuij; hivn roftll'uMl so as to ])ut it out 
 of its ]H>\vor to repeat sueli ohje('tionahio conthiet, 
 it refused t(> hurn the tohaeeo evenly, aud per- 
 mitted tlie ash aud essential oil to pass into my 
 
 nioii 
 
 th hv \vliolesale. In distvust 1 i 
 
 nnne( 
 
 liatel 
 
 V S(»- 
 
 leeted another to fuliil its olhee, and the new hrooni 
 happily swept elean : then Sni^ar would chatter, so 
 I snubbed the hoy, and he in eonsetpience pouted, 
 and I felt disgusteil with myself at my heartless con- 
 duct. " T have it," thouirht I ; "I am aboi.t to have 
 my ohl complaint, fever and an;ue." So I forthwith 
 mixed a very strong and hot mun; of whisky-punch. 
 I felt an improvement after it had been drunk, so I 
 turned into mv crib without delav, and was soon in 
 
A YKAii IN 'riii: \vii-i)i;uNi;sH. 
 
 177 
 
 l\\r ImikI dl' (Ircnnis, |»l!iyiii;j; ili<* <'liMrac(('i' of |»;isli.'i 
 ol :iii unliiiiilcil iiiiimImm' of t;iil s uitli .1 liMniii iii'<>iiii«l 
 Jiir iIimI. riiniicil ;i piilrcl <^;ilM\y ol" lic;mty -ulicii 
 lio\v-\v()\v \v«'iit Skjc, Mild I*ulc(ii juiiic(| ill willi ,'ill 
 llic power liis linings would milord liiiii. 
 
 It \V;is no use li'jin;^ to .silence liieni, e;illiii<.r IJieiii 
 l»V roJMlioii iidod doi's or sliyiii''- wli;itever I could 
 l;iv my li.'iiid upon would not icicify I lie wi'etclies, so 
 most uiiwillinid\ I ''"I u|», my iiiov^niciil Ixiiii' lore- 
 .stnlled hy Sui;'Mr, who was eiideavouriii<j; to obtain a, 
 liii,Iit IVom tlie Mnoulderin;^; einliei's that, faintly iiidi- 
 cjited wluM'i' the lire had existed. 
 
 '' What, the deuce is it?" I aske(|. 
 
 " iMc think hear at the .snioke-liouse ; I hear log 
 liiiuMe off it." 
 
 lents as wenMieccssan 
 
 i|>l) 
 
 <r;i 
 
 J, 
 
 was |»re])are(l to sally forth, ^tiii in hand, followcsd hy 
 the hoy armed with a second, and who had received 
 instructions to place it in my luiiids if I failed to ^ivc 
 tlic a^rgrcssor his (piictus with two harnds. 
 
 No sooner was the door o[)cn, than after their manner 
 both dogs rushed frantically off, and In a few seconds 
 afterwards there was such a row as woke u}) the most 
 distant echoes, as well as every owl who was within 
 miles. There was no mistaking this time ; something 
 was at the smoke-house that had no riLdit in its 
 
 VOL. I. 
 
 N 
 
178 
 
 LONi: life: 
 
 vicinity; whatever It was I knew it was receiving a 
 sharp reception, U)V the intonation of Skye's voice, 
 and of Poteen's also, he having f^aiiiod phick hy the 
 little one's example, plainly told that tlicy were l)lay- 
 iiig no «^aine of romps. 
 
 The niirht, althoni^li no moon was nj), still was 
 brilliant with the li^ht of iniiumci-able stars, and thus 
 eminently suited for the task before us. As wc 
 approached the smoke-house the din of battle seemed 
 to recede from it, obvious indication that the thief 
 was attempting to make off, so I hallooed to the do(^s 
 to encourage them, and in response to my voice 
 theirs increased in anger. A kind of intuitive fear 
 seemed to steal over me that Skye would get mauled^ 
 for I now had no longer doubt but that it was a bear, 
 and I knew the little fellow's foolhardy pluck would 
 induce him to run into the very jaws of death, so I 
 ran, almost ilew, over logs, through brush, till I was 
 within a few yards of the combatants. 
 
 " There he is, Cap," called Sugar ; '' don't you see ? 
 — there — there." 
 
 And at last I did see Master Bruin ascending a tree, 
 good six feet off the ground, and rapidly increasing his 
 distance from the earth, with Skye haniiinn; to his 
 rump, and Poteen no way backwards, snapping at the 
 enemy as long as he remained within reach. The 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 171> 
 
 positldii ai'.d tliu sljMilows worcj such tliat I could not 
 shoot with |)rccisi()ii, and I drcadctloidy to ^vou^d the 
 creature for the siiko of my doi;-^. One thini^ certain, 
 he was an enormous fellow, and now that he was in 
 my ])ower I was detcrniined to hare him. 
 
 Thirteen or fourteen feet from the ground a 
 branch ])rojected from the parent stem ; on reaching 
 this the hear shifted Ins position, as if to take stuck 
 of the enemy, and my little favourite let go his liold 
 and (lrop[)e(l to the ground ap})arently none the worse 
 for his exertions. 
 
 Bruin evidently did not like our looks, so lie 
 resolved to place more distance between himself and 
 his enemies, so recommenced his ascent. What 
 between tlie uncertainty of the light, the heavy 
 shadows and the foliage overhead, move as I would, 
 I could not ixet a clean shot. So 1 sent Suij;ar 
 to the shanty for my ground rug, blanket, pipe and 
 tobacco, for I determined to delay the battle till 
 daylight, unless forced upon me earlier. 
 
 In a quarter of an hour the boy was back, ten 
 minutes more his skilful hands liad lit a fire, and we 
 sit down to watch that the foe did not steal a march 
 upon us. 
 
 Several times I caught myself dozing, but when I 
 pulled myself together I could see the young Indian's- 
 
 n2 
 
180 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 snaki-llkc ovcs finnlv fixcil upon n dark mass in the 
 ovcrhcail folia^i?, wliilc the two dogs sat restlessly hy 
 the lire, leaving every few niunients its gratefid liglit 
 and lu'at, lo j)revent tlii' inis:ij>|)ro])riator of \\wav 
 master's goods from escaping liis due reward. 
 
 A fire in the dense forest nt midnight is a j)eeuliar 
 and impressive scene ; one to ho remembered if onee 
 witnessed, not to be imagined if never seen. '^Po do 
 it justice l)y description is impossible, for as vai'ied 
 as are tiic forms of the daneing blaze, as numerous 
 are the wi'lrd shadows that flit around whenever the 
 light becomes uncertain. 
 
 Time, like many other tilings, Is obstinate, and lags 
 on the way when supplicated to hasten its (lin-ht. 
 On this occasion it behaved even worse than usual. 
 At length I knew daybreak was near, for the owls 
 commenced in loud voice to lament that their noc- 
 turnal forays were near an end for that night. 
 
 From far, far away, floated a weird-like yell, which 
 even distance had not mellowed. I looked iiKpiir- 
 ingly to Sugar for information. " That," said he, " is 
 the lucifec" {miglici'^ bay lynx). I should not have 
 required to ask the question, for many a tii .e it has 
 made my heart's blood run cold by the suddenness 
 with which this animal would give vent to its un- 
 ^earthly voice. 
 
A yi:au in the wilderness. 
 
 1«1 
 
 " I sus[)ect niooiii llko very imu'li to come down. 
 ScL', Capon, Iio ^'oin<^ to try ;" uiul sure cii()ii;;;li there 
 was every iiiflieiitioM that sucli was the bear's in- 
 tention. 
 
 " I wish the l»rutc woiiKl remain where he Is lialt* 
 nn hour h)n^er," 1 exehiimed. 
 
 " So he will,'' said my companion, " If you not liko 
 shoot yet." On which he ])nlle(l a hrand from the 
 fire antl rattled it against the truidi of the tree, and 
 sure enough muoln settled down in his t)riginal 
 position. 
 
 So iidierent is a knowledge of the hal)its of wild 
 animals in the .Ueil-man, that even their children 
 know intuitively what It Is necessary to do In their 
 pursuit to obtain any desired n-sult. The white man 
 who spends a life in the wilderness, may he able to 
 kill more game tiian an Indian hunter, but it is 
 because he is invariably better armed, ami always 
 superior as a shot; but try which can, nndetected, 
 approach closest to a cariboo or moose, or follow 
 them when wounded throuiih the intricacies of a 
 liendock or cedar swam[), and the snake-visioned 
 aborigine will be so innneasurably su[)eri(n' as to 
 make comparison absurd. 
 
 Slowly at first, but witli increasing rapidity, the 
 night gives way to day. Bruin's position and atti- 
 
IMAGE EVALUATION 
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 (716) 872-4503 
 
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182 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 tude can be clearly defined ; fresh charges are ])laced 
 in each barrel, so as to insure against a lianf^ or 
 misfire, and I raise my large gun to my shoulder, 
 take a steady but not protracted aim, and as the trigger 
 is pressed the bear falls forward, slides down a few 
 feet, clings for a moment, and then falls to the earth 
 with a heavy thud. Both dogs in a moment are 
 up^n him ; but as I feared, their temerity cost them 
 dearly, for Poteon received a blow which knocked 
 him off his legs, and caused him to sing out most 
 lustily. 
 
 A second shot I fire into the enraged brute at a 
 distance of seven or eight yards ; but instead of 
 incapacitating the bear from further exertion, it 
 seems to imbue him with additional ferocity. On me 
 his hate is now centred ; the lad shoves the second 
 gun into my hand, and the plucky boy has done it 
 none too soon, for already my foe has risen on 
 his hind legs to grasp me ; but my ball this time 
 does its work, entering the head under the chin 
 close to its junction with the neck, and Bruin rolls 
 over backwards, belching forth mouthfuls of his 
 heart's blood. The strife is over, and I the winner ; 
 but after all with little to boast of, although much 
 to be thankful for, for if Sugar's heart had failed 
 him, or my last shot had not been so well placed— 
 
few 
 
 A YEAR IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 183 
 
 well, I should doubtless have received an embrace 
 more earnest than affectionate. 
 
 My troj)hy 1 should deem was quite four Imndred 
 pounds wcifrht, although far from fat ; extreme! j old, 
 judging from his teeth and claws, and quite a veteran, 
 if an opinion could be formed from the numerous 
 scars upon his head and neck. 
 
 Tiic hide was far from being in good order, never- 
 theless sufficiently serviceable to make an excellent 
 rug, if such should be required in the following 
 winter. 
 
 After an unusual amount of excitement there is 
 sure to be a reaction, and I believe all the coterie, dogs 
 included, and even myself, felt little inclined for 
 more exercise that day; so the hours fled in that 
 lethargic, unmarked manner that causes one to look 
 back with astonishment upon the passage of time, 
 and wonder how on earth it can be so late, for late it 
 certainly is, when I find the sun is scarcely an hour 
 hifjh above the western forest line. 
 
 As my rod was together, and casting-line attached, 
 I picked it up and sauntered off to the throat of the 
 pool. The second or third cast I rose and hooked a 
 very lively fish about four pounds, which took at 
 least ten minutes to land. A few more throws con- 
 vinced me that the trout were unusually "well on 
 
 f 
 
184 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 the feed," so I went up stream several Imiulred yards, 
 so as to leave tlie pool at the slianty door undisturbed, 
 for it was a wonderful handy little preserve if a few 
 fresh fish were wanted for a meal. 
 
 Two flies on my leader I found more than requisite, 
 so I took off my dropper, retaining for trail what is 
 familiarly known throughout Canada as the Montreal 
 fly ; its principal colour is grey, slightly ornamented 
 with a few strands of scarlet ibis feather, and will 
 generally be found very killing upon all Dominion 
 waters early in the season. 
 
 An advantage that North American trout-fishing 
 possesses over British, is that much larger hooks are 
 used, and thus much easier to be traced correctly by 
 the eye in their passage through the water. 
 
 A more lovely sunset than occurred on that even- 
 ing, I cannot but once recall. On the occasion I 
 allude to I had rested on the southern shores of 
 Lake Ontario after a long and successful day^s fish- 
 ing, and when the sun dropped behind the placid 
 pure waters of the lake, the heavens were illuminated 
 to the zenith with the most brilliant vermilion clouds ; 
 to-night it was nearly the same, and the light after 
 old Sol had hid his face looked softened and coloured 
 as if it had passed through a gigantic window of 
 Bohemian glass. 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDEKNESS. 
 
 185 
 
 There was but ouc drawback to the i)leasui'c the 
 observer can revel in if he loves nature seen to such 
 aclvantancj viz., the black-flies and mosquitoes, which 
 are commencin<5 to be troublesome. However, the 
 former disaj)pear when the chill of the night air com- 
 mences to be felt, the latter on the contrary seem to 
 refi^ard the additional cold as a stimulant to their 
 appetite. 
 
 "When the shadows had increased to sucli a length 
 as to blend into one undefined dark mass, I heard a 
 sound proceeding from a clump of spruce-trees in my 
 rear with which my car was very familiar, but so 
 far I had been unable to dis(!over what bird or quad- 
 ruped jtroduced it. The sound is a peculiar whine, 
 which miij-ht with a little stretch of imaojination be 
 taken for that of a l)uppy. Leaving my rod stuck 
 upright in tlie soil, I slowly stole into the bush and 
 stalked towards the place from whence I thought the 
 unknown notes issued. Almost arriving at my desti- 
 nation a couple of Tcwgmalm's owls took flight and 
 crossed tlie river. Still doubting that thev could be 
 the origin of the strange call, I had the uncertainty 
 dispelled by soon hearing the -whining voice proceed 
 from their new resting-place. At this season of the 
 year the numerous species of Strir/khr are incessantly 
 engaged from sunset to daybreak hunting for their 
 
186 
 
 LONE LIFE : 
 
 
 fiivouritc prey in tlic darkest and most dismid parts 
 of the forest ; even liares are not too Inri^e to escape 
 their attention, but on emergency tliey can put up 
 •vvitli moles, mice, and even frogs for their diet. 
 
 One of the most destructive of tliis numerous 
 family is tlic Virginian or eagle-owl, mIiosc courage 
 is (piite c([ual to its strength — for I doubt if there 
 is anything from a cat downwards that it will not 
 assault, and so extraordinary is the power of its 
 claws, that woe even to grimalkin if thev arc fastened 
 on his back. 
 
 Their call notes, f(n' they have two, are impressive, 
 not easily forgotten, but far i'rom agreeable, one re- 
 sembling the yelling of a maniac in the throes of his 
 agony. Many a time -when on the trail after the 
 path had become indistinct from the sombre gloom of 
 the dense foliage overhead, I have been startled, 
 almost my blood made run cold, by this fiendish 
 maniacal yell suddenly bursting on my ear. 
 
A YEAU IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 187 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 Antoine, my Frencli Canadian, not liaviiifr re- 
 turncil, I bcirin to fear that lie must have ^'ot into 
 trouble, or found new companions ; altliouu;li some- 
 times sceptical on the sincerity of his protestations of 
 friendship, still his appearance about the shanty 
 makes the place much less solitary. i\Ioreover, at 
 night, whether he has been spending the day fishing, 
 shooting, or trapping, ho has something to narrate in 
 reference to his success or day's adventures. 
 
 Another advantage that his presence afforded was, 
 that in half an liour he could cut up as much fire- 
 wood as it took Sugar or myself double the time to 
 accomplish, and the consumption of that useful article 
 far advanced in the season as we now are, is not in- 
 considerable. However, I must remain satisfied till 
 I go to Schudic Lake, for it is more than probable 
 
188 
 
 LONE life: 
 
 that some of tlie Indians tliuro will bo able to give 
 me information of his whereabouts. 
 
 I had been employed all the morning fly-tying, as 
 I wisli to be provided witli a good stock before start- 
 ing for the ridges, and every day seems to increase 
 the duties to be attended to, and is likely to do so up 
 to the date of our departure. 
 
 Shortly before commencing to cook our mid-day 
 meal, the Indian boy, who had returned from the river 
 with a bucket of water, informed me that Poteen, 
 who always followed the lad as a shadow, '' had been 
 nearly eat up by biggestcst of wolves." However, the 
 dog looked all right, although certainly his counte- 
 nance indicated that he had been alarmed. On ques- 
 tioning my attendant I found that a wolf had made 
 a dash from the cover near the boat-house at Poteen, 
 and but for the lad sciziuij a stick and rushing 
 to the rescue, I should have probably lost his 
 valuable services. Taking down my gun I went 
 out with the hope of obtaining a shot, and although 
 I searched all tlic most likely places in the vicinity I 
 could not catch a view of the marauder. I was much 
 annoyed at this visit, for I felt convinced it would 
 rot be the last, and that probably my pet Skye would 
 be picked up by the grey scoundrel and carried off 
 before I should have a chance to interfere, for it is a 
 
A YEAU IS THE WILDEUNllSS. 
 
 189 
 
 most cxtrnonlinaiy tliln^' tliat ji wolf .seems to in'iTor 
 a (lo^ to all otlier l>ivy, even oxcH'|)tinn; yt)iinii; l»i^. 
 As the canoe iV(|nii'e(.l some eanlk'm^f 1 devoted the 
 iit'ternoon to that purpose. My *^\u\ 1 did not 
 hesitate to take with me, as Skve was mv coni- 
 panion, and I felt douhtful whether the visitor of 
 the morniiiii was not lurking; son)ewhere in the 
 2iei^hl)onrho()d. 
 
 1 had almost completed my lahour when my fa- 
 vourite became uneasy, every few minutes advancing 
 towards the bushes, barkini^ for an instant vehe- 
 mently, and then returnlni^ to my sitle. IVetendinfr 
 to continue intensely occui)ied, I kept my eyes fixed 
 upon the suspicious locality, havinjj; shifted my posi- 
 ticm so as to be able to lay my hands on my double- 
 barrel at the shortest ])ossible notice. However, I 
 could discern nothinij;, but this did not reassure me, 
 for too well was I aware of the stealth v nature of 
 the animal I supposed was concealed close by. 
 
 I thought and thought, still I could devise no 
 means that promised the desired object of making 
 him show himself, so I resolved gun in hand to make a 
 rush with the hope that the rapidity of my move- 
 ment would take the Intruder by surprise, and thus 
 give me an opportunity to get a siiot at him as he 
 sneaked off. I waited for a few minutes ; Skye, who 
 
I'JO 
 
 LONE MFE : 
 
 liad :i(lvaiic('(l Hi'ain towards tlio susijicious lu-iMi- 
 Ixmrlinod, still barking \\h\\ more liiirry and ;,nvator 
 iiidicatioiis of fear than heretofore, rushed hurriiMJly 
 back to my side. Now or never I mentally e.\(daimed, 
 and dashed into the brush ; once in it tho under- 
 growth was not so close, and from this circumstance 
 I ]C;ot a ^ood view of the skulker. Han^^, bani^ went 
 both barrels as (juick as tliou^lit, and the object of 
 my aim lay strui,'iL;lin£^ in the (hist — Ijoth barrels had 
 been tired at a ranjro of less than twenty-five vards, 
 and the heavy shot they contained had done fearful 
 execution. Tho position that the animal was in 
 wlicii first covered, caused him to get the cliargo fore 
 and aft, which resulted in the hair and hide beinjx 
 much destroyed. 
 
 This was one of the largest wolves I have ever 
 seen, the true grey timber breed, and very closely 
 allied to the north of Europe representative of the 
 race. From the very worn and decayed state of liis 
 teeth I should imagine he was quite ii veteran in 
 years, and his plump well-fed carcase plainly said he 
 had been living on the fat of the land. At this season 
 of the year, from the quantity of birds and animals 
 that are breeding, I expect they have little difficulty 
 in obtaining food, but the destruction of life to satisfy 
 the wants of an animal gifted with so insatiable an 
 appetite must be enormous. 
 
 Illli 
 
A Yi:An IN THE wilderness. 
 
 I'Jl 
 
 
 Mv success on this occnslon was most satlsfactorv, 
 for after ^tHoiniiiir aware ot" this wolf's visit I never 
 would have left liouu' without feelin^j inieasy that 
 om.' of the »|of;s would he carried off in luv 5d)sencc, 
 
 Sui^ar's ileli^ht knew no hounds, and never pre- 
 viously did 1 see a carcase more rapidly skinned 
 than this one under his skilful haiuls. A curious cir- 
 cumstance and worthy of mention is that two por- 
 cupine's rpiilis were discovered in the wolf, one 
 l)uried over an inch in the muscles of the neck, the 
 other nearlv as far, but runnimx lonmtudinallv in the 
 cheek. After all my boy's exertions the hide was not 
 worth the trouble bestowed upon it, for it was sadly 
 deficient of hair and tremendously riddled with tho 
 shot, so both it and the carcase were taken into the 
 rapids and committed to their safe keeping*. 
 
 The latitude up here is too high for many different 
 families of snakes to be found ; but there is one 
 species very abundant, whose thick form and slug- 
 gish ai)pearancc indicate that at least he is well- 
 fed. In more than colour and proportions it re- 
 sembles the water viper; in fact if it was not that this 
 reptile is not venomous, I should pronounce them to 
 be the same. In length they are from four to five 
 feet, of a dark chocolate colour, large in the head, 
 and do not terminate in a fine-pointed tail. l\\ wet 
 grass land on the margin of water they arc most 
 
ll>2 
 
 LONE LiFi;: 
 
 nuinoroiis, in t'.u't, so niiicli .so tliat a <Io/(>ii may be 
 scon in the course of an liour. I am .sure tlu' j)oor 
 fro^s tliat live in this vicinity nuis-t pass an anxious 
 time, fi»i* I suppose tliey are their prinei|»al food, at 
 tho snmu time it appears impossible tliat this sln^rirish 
 reptile can cnj)tnre one of them otherwise than hy 
 surprise. Su<^ar, who is devoted to hait-lishin^', and 
 looks with eyes of contempt on my Jirtilicial (lies, 
 which he calls ''a moscpiito fixing," seldom ivturns 
 after spendin<4 some hours at ins favourite amuse- 
 ment without announcin<j; the inte]li;j;ence that "lie 
 catchec one darnil l)i«^ snake." As his bait is invariably 
 a shiner, a beautiful bri<rht little fisii like :i dace, 
 it is evident that these reptiles liave a penchant for 
 fish ; but their velocity should prevent them often 
 bccomin*^ victims. 
 
 These remarks were induced from my having 
 visited the marsh that I have previously spoken of, 
 to see if snipe were still abundant. Such is not the 
 case, the preponderating number doubtless having 
 proceeded further northward to breed, those that re- 
 main being simiharly engaged. After a great deal of 
 searching 1 discovered a nest with oidy two eggs in 
 it; these I removed to make some notes u})on, that I 
 may bo able at a future date to find out if tlicy and 
 those of our English snipe exactly agree. 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDEnNrSS. 
 
 193 
 
 Tlio wild-duck's lu'st discovered on my Inst visit, 
 I found dcsertcil. From portiuiis ol' broken shell 
 scattered around tlio vicinity, I Imvo little doubt 
 but that the fond mother succeeded in hatching; her 
 brood, and probably now is secreted with her progeny 
 in some of the nei*^hbouring beds of rusiics. 
 
 June 10. — This nftcrnoon the flies are fearfully 
 troublesome; not for a moment would they give mo 
 rest ; the result is that both my hands and face aro 
 swollen excessively, causing mo to suffer intense irri- 
 tation. 1 can put up with a great deal of inconve- 
 nience, fatigue, and annoyance, but the persecu- 
 tion of tiiese wretches makes me irritable and discon- 
 tented. 
 
 An hour before sunset I visited the river; the fourth 
 or fifth cast I made rose a large fish, which I hooked. 
 This trout was wonderfully strong and active, thus 
 requiring all my attention. I believe the black-flies 
 and mosquitoes are aware of the helplessness of my 
 position when fast to a large fish, for they surround 
 me in clouds, and feed upon every exposetl portion of 
 my person. At such a time to smack your face you 
 dare not, or your rod, or line, or both would bo 
 smashed, so I submitted, but not with a good grace, 
 to be eaten alive. I doubt if Job would. If one 
 could discover a means of annihilating these two 
 
 VOL. I. 
 
194 
 
 LONE LIFE : 
 
 bloodthirsty races, what a benefactor he would be to 
 the human family. 
 
 Arriving at the shanty, [Master Sugar I found 
 busy, the two dogs watching his labour. On a log 
 which was hewn smooth, and was invariably used 
 for the purpose, he had a large otter stretched, and 
 almost completely skinned. " Him worth five dol- 
 lar!" he exclaimed, when I reached his side. It was 
 the one I pointed out to the boy some weeks since 
 
 in the pool above our residence ; at least there he 
 had caught it. 
 
 At length the flies have become such perfect 
 
 plagues that I have determined to start for the upland 
 barrens as soon as I can put my home in order, for I 
 have resolved to take Master Sugar with me, although 
 originally I had intended leaving him behind in 
 charge of my property ; but the boy looked so down- 
 cast, so thoroughly prostrated at the mention of a 
 separation that my heart relented, it having suddenly 
 occurred to me that possibly he suffered as much as 
 myself from the summer pests of the woodlands. 
 Before informing him that I had changed my plans 
 he hazarded in a half-timid inquiring manner the 
 question whether the dogs would be left behind. 
 On answering in the negative, I observed one of 
 those peculiar pouts steal over his face, which ge- 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 19^ 
 
 be to- 
 found 
 a log 
 
 used 
 , and 
 c dol- 
 It was 
 
 since 
 ere he 
 
 )erfect 
 ipland 
 fori 
 iiougli 
 md in 
 down- 
 of a 
 ddenly 
 uch as 
 lands, 
 plans 
 er the 
 )eliind. 
 one of 
 ch ge- 
 
 nerally in wliite children precede tears, doubtless tha 
 thoughts of parting with his bedfellow and boon 
 companion Poteen, had no small portion in the cause 
 of the show of so much emotion. 
 
 In the State of Maine, and on tlie edges of tlic 
 provinces of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, I have 
 found the mosquitoes and black-flies so numerous as to 
 believe that a few^more would render tlicm beyond 
 the endurance of human nature ; but it is surprising 
 what human beings can put up with when com- 
 pelled, for in my present abode, the air, the ground, 
 the l)ushes seem to have no other employment but 
 to produce and reproduce them in countless myriads. 
 Besides the two pests above-mentioned, there are 
 three more, the diminutive sand-fly, the breeze-fly, 
 and the moose-fly ; the first is so small, that even 
 while you feel the pain of his bite on the back of 
 the hand, it takes close examination to discover its 
 exact situation. It seems to sink into a j>ore of the 
 skin, and the sensation it imparts to the sufferer i.s 
 such as might be imagined to result from being 
 touched with the point of a red-hot needle. The 
 two others, although far from unwilling to pay the 
 wanderer their delicate attentions, ^are much easier 
 avoided from their size. 
 
 For the last few days I have lived in an atmo^ 
 
 02 
 
i\ 
 
 I' 
 
 196 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 sphere of smoke to endeavour to persuade the per- 
 secutors to retire, and my skin in consequence feels 
 Hke that of a mummy ; but all is of no avail, smudges 
 of damp wood smouldering in-doors, out-doors, and 
 in every available place, fail to have the desired 
 effect. So after resisting for ever so long (much 
 against my will, for the process is so dirty) I am com- 
 pelled to smear my face, neck, and hands with oil of 
 tar. For an hour or two after undergoing this 
 process you have comparative rest, but the moment the 
 perspiration commences to remove it, then the patient 
 must undergo a fresh dressing with this filthy un- 
 guent. Friends of mine have frequently, and with 
 the greatest confidence, recommended camphor and 
 penny-royal, as a recipe certain to protect the sports- 
 man ; both I have given a fair trial, and can only say. 
 Bosh ! 
 
 One thing I have found thoroughly efficacious in 
 the house to expel these minute pests, but it cannot 
 be obtained except by those who have made a length- 
 ened sojourn in the woods, viz., the giant fungus 
 stripped from the tree stems, and dried in the sun 
 till perfectly free from the smallest particle of damp ; 
 this is a very long process, and no other mode of 
 drying will secure the desired result. The fungus 
 then having been properly cured, place a piece as 
 
A YEAR m THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 19 z 
 
 lie per- 
 e feels 
 nudges 
 rs, and 
 desired 
 (miicli 
 n com- 
 li oil of 
 ig this 
 lent the 
 patient 
 hy un- 
 id with 
 or and 
 sports- 
 ily say, 
 
 :ious in 
 cannot 
 length- 
 fungus 
 ;he sun 
 damp ; 
 node of 
 fungus 
 iece as 
 
 big as an apple on the floor in the middle of your 
 apartment ; after having set it on fire, it will smoulder 
 for hours, emitting rather a pungent smoke, un- 
 pleasant possibly to human beings, but infinitely pre- 
 ferable to the society of the insatiable bloodsuckers. 
 
 When travelling in China, I was frequently an- 
 noyed by mosquitoes, more especially if our resting- 
 place was in the vicinity of a canal or paddy-fields ;. 
 but when such was the case, the coolies would pur- 
 chase from the nearest shop a substance that smoul- 
 dered like a joss-stick, and which would not be 
 lighted over a few minutes before every insect had 
 fled. 
 
 Nor are the attacks of these pests of the American 
 woodlands confined to man ; my poor dogs suffered 
 more, I believe, than myself. Scarcely a minute's 
 rest did the unfortunate creatures obtain during day 
 or night, so that from constant worry and want of 
 sleep they became attenuated and low-spirited, while 
 their coats stared and their eyes became bleared, in- 
 dications that invariably precede hydrophobia. 
 
 So much do the moose and cariboo endure at this 
 season of the year from the same pests, that they 
 spend the greater portiojti of the twenty-four hours in 
 the water, with only the upper portion of the head 
 above the surface. The bears are also not exempt 
 
f.l 
 
 198 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 from this persecution ; in fact, one day I heard one of 
 these animals moanin<T in that mumblin<x manner with 
 which they appear to denote both pleasure and pain. 
 An Indian hunter was with me at the time ; inquiring 
 from him what was the cause, his response was : 
 
 '*' Guess the flies after mooin." 
 
 That some persons get callous to their attacks, I 
 have no doubt, from the following incident : I was 
 shooting ruffed grouse in a thick birch cover in the 
 State of Maine. Although birds w ere abundant the 
 flies caused me to desist. On reaching the edge of a 
 clearing I perceived a farmer engaged in the interest- 
 ing and amusing occupation of picking stones off" his 
 land. After saluting the husbandman, I remarked 
 that the flies were fearfully bad to-day (around both 
 his head and mine hovered thousands). " Well, there 
 are a few," was his response, and immediately he 
 reverted to his occupation as unconcerned as possible, 
 although I would dare to bet that there were a 
 hundred at that moment feeding upon his face, neck, 
 and hands. 
 
 Wonderful, certainly, are the ways of Providence, 
 for how could this unfortunate being have cultivated 
 his five acres of stone-covered, impoverished soil if 
 he had suffered from the attacks of mosquitoes and 
 black-flies, as does your humble servant ? With the 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 199 
 
 evil I should not neglect to mention the good. Wlicn 
 the sun goes down all the black-flies disappear, their 
 absence lasting throughout the night ; not so with the 
 mosquitoes, they revel in darkness, and their appetites, 
 ever excellent, during the hours we devote to rest 
 appear increased. 
 
 Another instance of the voracity and numbers of 
 these insect pests I will mention. Ihave seen a brown 
 cow turned literally black by the countless thousands 
 of black-flies that adhered to her body, and the 
 gratitude the poor thing would evince if a piece of 
 damp decayed wood was lit for her to stand over, was 
 most touching. 
 
200 
 
 LONE LIFE : 
 
 I i 
 
 V: 
 
 l:: 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 As it is settled that Sugar accompanies me, it is 
 necessary that a hiding-place should be found for 
 our surplus property, for we must start for the high 
 grounds in the lightest of marching order. This was 
 no very difficult matter if man's inquisitive prying 
 propensities had alone to be dreaded, for here our race 
 are very few and far between; but all the wild 
 animals arc imbued with so much curiosity, and with 
 it destructiveness, that it becomes a difficult matter 
 to guard against them. About a hundred yards from 
 the river and nearly half a mile from the shanty was 
 a very small cave, about the size of a subaltern's 
 barrack-room at Chatham, or an officer's cabin in a 
 government troop-ship. Around its entrance were 
 scattered several blocks of granite, which with hand- 
 spikes could be rolled so as to entirely close the 
 entrance. After due consideration I decided that it 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 201 
 
 would suit my purpose ; so the boy was sent up to 
 clear it out. A flitting, as it is termed in Scotland, 
 is never an af^ceablo affair, and it is extraordinary 
 how one's property accumulates, for it took nearly 
 an entire day transporting skins, fish, &c., to tho 
 storehouse. At length our labo'.ir was at an end, 
 and, oh, how miserable our little home looked when 
 we returned at evening to spend our last night 
 within its walls. I was late in going to bed, and as 
 I sat thinking of the past, home, companions, and 
 foreign and far distant scenes I ha<l visited, the logs, 
 seats, and tables seemed to chide mo for my deser- 
 tion, even the wind appeared to sing a requiem of con- 
 dolence with my dumb reprovers. 
 
 Day broke clear and bright, the stream memly 
 laughed as it danced over the rapids. A cedar-bird 
 sung his sweet plaintive song from the topmost 
 bough of our favourite shade tree, a hemlock spruce, 
 and the restless blue jays and woodpeckers were 
 busier and more loquacious than was their wont, as we 
 launched our canoe from under the guardian branches 
 of the graceful silver birch that formed our boat-house. 
 Our baggage was light, so the craft was soon loaded. 
 Sugar, Skye, and Poteen by instinct found their re- 
 spective places; quietly I stepped into the stern, and 
 with a shove of my paddle we were forced out into the 
 
» 
 
 If 
 
 ' II 
 : 1% 
 
 >l !il 
 
 li ;•; 
 
 ' l!: 
 
 202 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 eddying river iind our fragile craft danced along with 
 the rushing current. As we doubled the poiiit that 
 shut out tiie last view of our late home, wo bid it a 
 loud but fond adieu, then dipping our paddles deep 
 rushed into the rapids, and bounded on over the 
 surging water that fretted itself to foam over the 
 jagged rock obstructions that barred its course. 
 
 Schudic liake was our destination. The Indian 
 encampment on its margin was about ten miles from 
 the shanty by land, twenty by water, but so great 
 was the velocity of the current that the time ne- 
 cessary to reach it by either route was about the 
 same. There I wished to leave my canoe for safe 
 keeping, as well as endeavour to obtain among 
 these, my nearest neighbours, a guide for the un- 
 known regions I was about to explore. When we 
 had passed the familiar scenes that we encountered 
 almost daily, and where the navigation was tho- 
 roughly known, Sugar, whose duty it was to keep a 
 sharp look-out for snags, rocks, and invisible 
 dangers, relapsed into perfect silence — even our four- 
 footed companions seemed oppressed with serious 
 thoughts. With such a surrounding very out of place 
 would have been trivial conversation, for on every side 
 was room for wonder and admiration of the works 
 of the Creator of the Universe. Above a clear blue 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 203 
 
 sky, biMiciith an emerald transparent water, on either 
 hand rocks or gravelly bays, mar«^ined hy the finest 
 timber that natnro "svith her bounteous hand could 
 grow. The })ine, autocrat of the forest, shuts out the 
 distance; the balsam and spruce, no less beautiful, but 
 of snudler stature, ^ry to rival in height their giant 
 brother, while the birch and majde with feathery 
 branches dip with gentle touch the gliding water, and 
 contrast with wonderful harmony their light-green 
 foliage against the sombre colouring of the darker 
 timber. The pines, the balsams, and the spruces 
 have all the stern grandeur of the male, the birch 
 and maple the soft attractive dalliance of the female. 
 On our way we flush numerous wild-fowl, but my 
 gun reposes in its cover, for I feel disinclined to mar 
 the harmony that here exists, either by blood-shedding 
 or disturbing the latent echoes. 
 
 Not dreaming, for sharp eye and a quick hand were 
 in constant requisition, but pondering, thinking, we 
 shot round a point, leaving the rapid and entering a 
 placid, quiet pool. Our sudden appearance was so un- 
 expected that a bull moose who was floating with com- 
 pletely submerged body, gazed at us with wondering 
 eyes for several moments, ere it appeared to flash across 
 his brain that the neighbourhood of the new comers 
 was dangerous in the extreme to his safety. With a 
 
? ... 
 
 ill 
 
 
 \^M 1 
 
 1 
 
 ^^^^^1 ' 
 
 1 
 
 i 
 
 «l 
 
 ' 
 
 . 1 
 
 J 
 
 i 1 
 
 
 ,1 
 
 204 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 lungo forward like a rearing horse ho struck bottom 
 with his hind-feet. A repetition of the action took 
 him into shallow water, when shaking the spray from 
 his glossy dark hide he rapidly trotted off into the 
 friendly shelter of the neighbouring wood. Ample 
 time was afforded me to have killed this deer, 
 but not being short of provisions I let him go, much 
 to the chagrin of my red-skinned companion. 
 
 In alluding to this animal, I say trotted off : other 
 representatives of the genus would have galloped, 
 or more correctly speaking, bounded away ; but in 
 all my experience I have never seen the moose do so. 
 Their gait is a trot, and a wonderfully swift one 
 when pressed ; but I do not think, from physical 
 formation, that they can gallop. 
 
 Only one authority that I know of notices this 
 peculiarity. Captain Hardy, of the Royal Artillery, 
 and in a foreign periodical devoted to natural history, 
 I see he is taken severely to task for the assertion— 
 and most unjustly so I think. 
 
 Without further hap or adventure we reached 
 Schudic Lake. From the entrance of the river into it 
 to the Indian encapment was only a couple of miles, 
 so a strong and deep stroke with our paddles, in half 
 an hour revealed the wigwams, which stood upon 
 some high ground divested of trees, at the termina- 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 205 
 
 bottom 
 
 tion of fi narrow bay. But for tluii linos of circHnf; 
 smoke T should have thought the pliico deserted, for 
 neither cauoo upon the beach, or other insi«rniu, showed 
 signs of human occupation. 
 
 My companion i)i'oposed a shot to warn them of 
 our coming. Acquiescing in his suggestion, I raised 
 the muzzle of my gun to the heavens and pulled the 
 trigger, and scarcely had the report died away in the 
 distance before a dozen persons of every age and sex, 
 with twice the number of dogs, appeared almost as 
 rapidly as Roderick Dhu's soldiers from their unpre- 
 tending dwellings, and laughing, hooting, and scram- 
 bling, rushed to the landing-place to greet the stran- 
 gers, who by this time had got into sufficiently shallow 
 water to render it necessary to disembark from the 
 canoe, that her frail bottom might not suffer from 
 coming in contact with the pebbly beach. Welcome, 
 most welcome were wo made by these primitive people ; 
 but I must record to their shame, that the Indian dogs 
 were far from favourably impressed with the appear- 
 ance of my quadrupeds, and that moreover they did 
 not hesitate to show it. But the hands of their masters 
 were no way backward in repressing such inhospitable 
 conduct, sticks and stones were abundant and close ; 
 in a moment females and males had each seized 
 a weapon, and the numerous howls and limping 
 
• r 
 
 
 206 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 (lops tlisftppcaring over tlio brow, told that skill with 
 such inissilcs wtis part of the education of the Indian. 
 A short examination of the goodly assenihiy disclosed 
 that the majority were women nnd children, tho 
 young and mature men heing away hunting; but 
 this circumstance did not appear in the least to 
 prevent our becoming tho recipients of their hos- 
 pitality. 
 
 Foremost among those who presented themselvcR 
 to shako hands with me, were Saucy and Fntty- 
 plumpy. Never previously had I seen either look so 
 well ; their dark skins glistened with tlie bloom of 
 health, and their mischievous eyes twinkled with 
 merriment as if they recalled the memory of some- 
 thing unusually droll. Perhaps my countenance indi- 
 cated the same, for every time our eyes met there 
 was a speaking glance, a downward look, and a sub- 
 dued titter. However, the two sisters did not con- 
 sider that they were alone intended for ornament, 
 for my baggage was divided between them, and each 
 with a fair man's load on her back, walked by my 
 side towards the wigwams with as much ease and 
 grace as a Regent-street beauty would with nought 
 but her parasol to encumber her. 
 
 A point of etiquette now occurred which required 
 finesse so as to hurt no one's feelings, viz., whose 
 
A YEAH IN THE WILDERNIOSS. 
 
 207 
 
 I with 
 ndinn. 
 closed 
 , tho 
 ; but 
 
 (loinicilc should I occupy. As n whito huutcr, tho 
 chiefs hy right, in whi( li cnsu I should 1»«' ctonmlly 
 under the gazu of those ndseliievnus girls, and 
 who ])ossihly might revert to their inatriinonhil 
 stratagems, HO I proposed, as ncltlier the chief nor his 
 sons were at home, to quarter myself on a (|uerulous, 
 blear-eyed scxigcnarian, with a limp in one leg, and a 
 most diabolical cast of countenance. Hut this would 
 not be listened to ; in fact, I doubt much if tho old 
 man had the power to receive mo after what was said, 
 and I was pushed and hauled into the wigwam of tho 
 parents of the two dark-skinned beauties ; tho wife, 
 and I suppose tho mother of Fatty-] )lumpy, stating 
 in high falsetto all tho time, " That as all their mans 
 had g(me hunt, plenty room for me." I should 
 not like to take away the good lady's churacter, and 
 then I might be mistaken, for her English was far 
 from perfect, and my knowledge of her tongue 
 limited, but as they had no male guardian at home, 
 inclination as well as right made her appropriate the 
 first man that Providence threw in her way. 
 
 However, the air was too warm and the flics too 
 numerous to enjoy any comfort within their birch- 
 bark residence, so I seized the first available oppor- 
 tunity to escape into the fresh air, and when I 
 imagined myself free from observation, picked up 
 
208 
 
 n»Ni; i.iFK : 
 
 inv fnm, wnd whistlin*^ for l\>liM«n mikI SKv*", sldK* ofl' 
 into tlu' \v«n)(ls. Wlu'lluM' il ln' tliiit l!iis siliiatioii 
 from pn>\imity lo llu» lakr is loss sliollorod tliiiii tlio 
 vloinity of my own sliaiily, tlio cover was iinl iioai'ly so 
 ilonsi\ ainl tlio (looiduous froos appear loss mimoi'ous. 
 l*usluui; dirootly from llio wator, I kopl ascoiulin^ 
 till 1 i^aiiUHl an olovatioii ovoi* tlio lako of y'w or 
 sovoii liiiiulrotl foot. Tliis platoau was onliroly Ircc 
 from lartro (iiiil)or, altlioiitili olotlioil with a oloso 
 j<Tro\vtli of ^vitoll-ollll, sumaoli, and sovoral variotios of 
 civopors. 
 
 From tho altltiulo of tlio position a pK>asant hrcoze 
 was pcivoptiblo, aiul tho miisaiioos of tlu» lowlands, 
 the tlies and nuvs(|uitoos, wore absent. The viow 
 from here was niai;nifieent. At my \\\'i ri'posed the 
 hike ealiu as glass, while the shadows on its hosoni 
 reflected the siirnnindlnir liioh ijjronnd and trees with 
 as much tlistinctness as if thev were realitv. Nnnie- 
 rous islands of irrei^nlar shapes ami various sizes, all 
 covered with heavy coniferous timber, added much to 
 the pieturesqueness of the scene, wliile tho hazy green 
 distance of outline, occasionally broken by ii monarch 
 of the forest more stalwart than his fellows, formed 
 a most titting and charming picture. To the left 
 could trace for many .1 mile the tortuous course of 
 the river which we had descended in the morning, 
 
A VIlAll IM 'llin Wlf.OKUNFHM. 
 
 209 
 
 ^rciMi ns nil ciiiornM wlu-ni IIk? |hm»I.^ nrciirrcfl, l)nt wliitc 
 as snow nloii'^ tlic^ siirfnco of IIkj tiirliult'iit rapiils. 
 
 No iioi'il licrc for <list!iM('(' to IcikI ciH'lKiiitiMcnt to 
 \\\v scene. All was oiicliaiitiiiciit, fairyland; hut 
 only fancy tlic contrast, Itctwccn it at this season and 
 in the (K'|ith.s of winter ; conhl anything h(^ inia/^ined 
 greater? — I very nuich (h)uht it. Skirting this ri^^^o 
 the d(>;^H flnshetl a hrace of Oanudian or .sjirucc 
 ^»arlri(I^T(•s, which witii their n.snal indiflerencc to the 
 ])resence of man, lit on the hrancli of a patrlarcliai 
 birch-tree within twenty 3'ards of my position. 
 
 ln(jiusitivenes?<, as with women, seems to he theit 
 bcsettinir wiN'ikness, and as often hrlnfjs the former 
 to a prcmatnre death, as tlie latter into trouble. 'J'he 
 win<^ of a wonderfully killing trout fly is made from 
 tliis bird's rich ilark chestnut feathers, so 1 felt few 
 qualms of conscience in killing botli. 
 
 They were in most perfect feather, and would liavs 
 done grace to an ornithologist's case of stuffed birdsi 
 In appearance they very mucli resemble the red 
 grouse of our Scotch hills, so much so in fact, that 
 all but an expert would confuse the two together, 
 for even the scarlet iris around the eye is not 
 wanting. 
 
 The extreme tameness of the spruce partridge, 
 more properly spruce grouse, is easily accounted for* 
 
 VOL. I. P 
 
210 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 I .ii- 
 
 Inliabitinrr as ilioy do tlioso iinincnso nortlioni forests, 
 they seldom or never sec memlu'rs of tlie Inmian 
 family, and thus arc ignorant of his bloodthirsty in- 
 stincts. The fox, the mink, and the eM«:;UM)wl, they 
 are faniilijir ^vith, and possess us mneh subtlety in 
 avoiding their proximity as many birds that ww, sup- 
 posed to be far more wary. 
 
 I have often advoeated their introduetion into the 
 North of Kngland and South of Seotland, but I fear 
 my endeavours have not been erowned with sueeess, 
 for I have never learned of atrial beinpi; made, still I 
 stick to my idea, and believe the man of means 
 wonld be well rewarded, even snpposing he spent 
 hundreds of pounds to be successful in the pro- 
 ject. 
 
 Winding down the side of the slope sheltered from 
 the northern breezes, I found wherever the ground 
 was sufficiently open, the greatest abundance of wild 
 strawberries, not large like those that are highly cidti- 
 vated, or even of medium size, as such that have gone 
 wild in an old bed from neglect, but the tiny little 
 mountain berry so delicious in flavour. Their pro- 
 fusion was something remarkable, for in the space of 
 a couple of yards, diminutive as they were, sufficient 
 might have been collected to have satisfied the ap- 
 petite of a growing schoolboy, and that is not saying 
 
A YHAIt IN THE WILDKUNKSS. 
 
 211 
 
 forests, 
 Iniinaii 
 ■sty in- 
 A^ they 
 tlcty in 
 IV, Rup- 
 
 nto the 
 b I f(*;ir 
 ;ucci'ss, 
 , still I 
 means 
 :^ spent 
 le pro- 
 id from 
 ground 
 f wild 
 y culti- 
 ^e gone 
 y little 
 3ir pre- 
 face of 
 fficient 
 the ap- 
 saying 
 
 a little. In the vicinity of Pembina I hud |>n'vi()usly 
 seen strawherries growing in great hixuri.MKu?, but 
 not nuin(!ri('ally to conij)are witb tlic pi'ofiision of 
 tliose now aroniid me. Of eonrse, siicli an oppor- 
 tunity was not to be let pass, so I biy down at length 
 and fell till satiated. 
 
 1 was not alone in my feast, for nuuKM'ons peal)iddy- 
 birds (wl lite-throated sparrow) and hermit tlirushes 
 seemed to be as partial to this deh'cMtc.ly flavoured 
 fruit as myself, and so careless did they Mjijiear to bo 
 I of my presence that they darted down among the 
 green vine-like leaves, or hovered over an intended 
 alighting place, frecpiently within a few jjuccs of my 
 couch. This was ratlier surprising, for the hermit 
 thrush is of such a solitary nature, than even in 
 glades and forests where he is known to be ;djundant 
 it is no easy matter to get sight of tliis exquisite 
 songster — exquisite I say, for there are few birds that 
 possess such a charming flute-like note, which it 
 often prolongs in the warm nights of early summer 
 up to even the wee small hours. 
 
 A month ago, those trees which cast their leaves 
 in fall were as bare as telegraph, poles, now they are 
 covered with as dense a foliage as the most luxuriant 
 of exotics. The rapidity with which vegetable life 
 
 advances after the snows have become melted, and the 
 
 p2 
 
212 
 
 LONE LIFE : 
 
 i, > 
 
 chill frosts of niglit are followed by days of licat, has 
 often been commented upon, but those who have not 
 seen it would never realise it from description. The 
 increase is so rapid, that the difference that occurs in 
 twenty-four hours is perfectly observable. In the 
 short space of a single night, and in little more than 
 a week, some species, particularly the sugar maple, 
 from being absolutely naked will be clothed in a 
 dense and lovely foliage. In my stroll I came across 
 one of my special favourites, for I know few trees 
 more picturesque, viz., a black-birch almost eighty 
 feet in height, and clothed about its stem with the 
 most ragged coating of slate-coloured moss and dis- 
 hevelled bark, so as to impart the idea to the observer 
 that its age must almost be coeval with that of the 
 world. I never look at one of these hoary giants, 
 but the figure of old Father Winter, or Santa 
 Claus, as represented for the special edification of 
 Christmas-keeping holiday-makers, is vividly re- 
 called to my mind. So inflammable is this extraneous 
 substance attached to it on all sides, that a spark 
 will almost ignite it, wdien it will burn with a fierce- 
 ness and rapidity truly alarming, forming a pillar 
 of fire from ground to summit of impetuous, leaping 
 flames, devouring with hungry fury all that will sup- 
 port their existence. 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 213 
 
 !at, has 
 [ive not 
 . The 
 curs in 
 In the 
 re than 
 maple, 
 [I in a 
 I across 
 w trees 
 eighty 
 ,'ith the 
 ncl clis- 
 bserver 
 of the 
 giants, 
 Santa 
 ition of 
 lly re- 
 raneous 
 L spark 
 I fierce- 
 a pillai' 
 leaping 
 i^ill sup- 
 
 Tliis tree, liowevcr, must not he confounded with 
 the wliiti'-birch, no less graceful in its form and 
 droopiug tendrils, or with the papcr-bircli, so much 
 souglit after by the Indian, for from it not only 
 arc tlieir canoes made, but table utensils and orna- 
 ments. 
 
 On returning towards the wigwams of my hosts, 
 I saw two canoes racing up the bay, doubtless the 
 hunters returning, who having noticed an unknown 
 craft on the beach, are hurrying on, anxious to find 
 what stranger the Manitoo has brought to their camp. 
 
 The aged Indian is not a man to say much, still I 
 doubt if his feelings of kindness and hospitality are 
 less strong than those possessed by the empty-headed, 
 but fulsome votary of fashion. I know if I had to 
 choose whose word I should place the greatest faith 
 in, ni}^ choice would not be flattering to those of 
 my own colour. 
 
 In civilised life I would have been expected to 
 leave the wigwam and meet my future hosts on their 
 way from the beach. In associating with Indians, any- 
 thing like an attempt to curry favour with them is 
 to be deprecated. Thus I sat down in the chiefs lodge, 
 lit my pipe, and relapsed in a moody and thoughtful 
 silence. Presently the owner entered, fixing his 
 keen eyes upon me, grunted what was intended for a 
 
214 
 
 LONE LIFS: 
 
 * &■ 
 
 ■welcome, s((uattL'cl upon his hams, and busied Ijinisell* 
 filling his pipe. Then ensued a long silence. 
 
 " The white num is sick?" inquired my host. 
 
 *' No, hut ho is sad," I respouded, eontiuuing, 
 " The brother of my tribe, that came to your woods 
 with me, is lost or dead ; have your "^young men 
 killed him?" 
 
 Laying down his pipe, leaning towards me and 
 steadfastly gazing in my face, with more of earnest- 
 ness and less of vehemence in his manner, he said : 
 " The children of my tribe kill now only cariboa 
 and moose. Your brother is alive, but in a new 
 hunting-ground away six days' journey, where the 
 pale-face squaw dwells. I know no more." 
 
 I did not suppose that Antoinc had been killed, 
 but I thought it was necessary for our mutual safety 
 to show an anxiety for the welfare of my com- 
 panion, for they were doubtless aware that I had not 
 communicated with or heard from him since his de- 
 pai'turc now nearly six weeks ago. 
 
 After a long pause in which I said nothing, and 
 in which the eyes of the Red-man were firmly fixed 
 'i me, he said, "You are welcome." 
 
 \en I handed him my pipe, which he took, re- 
 t fi ' .g the compliment by giving me his. Each 
 then smoked, the silence only being broken by the 
 
limself 
 
 A YEAU IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 215 
 
 females enterinir with their hml's ^uii and traps, over 
 the stowlii^^r away of wlilcli they s[)en(l an unneeessary 
 lcn<rtli of time, doubtless their curiosity fabricating 
 this flimsy means of excuse for proloiiLnn/^ their 
 stay with hoi)es of i^ratifyln^ their curiosity on the 
 subject of our conversation. Thus the entente cordiale 
 was thoroun;hly established, and although little was 
 spoken the greatest good feeling prevailed. 
 
216 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 I 
 
 ill! 
 
 I 
 
 H 
 
 I 
 
 This old chief was as fine a specimen of tlic 
 Indian as I ever met; although not over ordinary 
 height, he was graceful, and remarkably symmetrically 
 formed. In age, I should imagine, close on sixty, 
 still upright in carriage as a wand. He also pos- 
 sessed a most searching eye, and one that never for 
 an instant quailed under the look of the person he 
 conversed with. This is unusual with the Red-man ; 
 seldom can he look you straight in the face, and too 
 frequently his manner before white men implies 
 inferiority. 
 
 From my host I learned that his had been once a 
 powerful tribe, but from small-pox (the scourge of 
 all the aboriginal population) getting introduced 
 among them, their numbers had become decimated, 
 till only thirty-four members remained. " It was 
 ihc fire-water brought among us by the voyageur that 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDEUNKSS. 
 
 217 
 
 offonck'd tlio <;ro;it ^riinltoo," he cxchiiincd. This 
 doul)tlcss had buun told liiin by tlie Konuui Catholic 
 or Wesleyaii missionaries, who havo doiio zealous 
 and earnest work in neighbouring localities. And tho 
 means being justified by the result, no one will blum 
 these earnest good men for making uso of such a 
 subterfuge. 
 
 To the Indian, whisky implies ruin, starvation, and 
 death, therefore any means, I say, are justifiable to 
 prevent their using it. Is not this craving for ardent 
 spirits among a race who until within the last century 
 knew of no li(|uid stronger than water, extraordinary ; 
 every feeling seems to give way under its influence, and 
 the most fearful example of its baneful results has 
 no more power to detain them from indulging in it 
 to excess, than if they were entirely destitute of the 
 power of restraint. 
 
 The principal purport of my visit was soon ex- 
 plained, viz., obtaining one of the young men to 
 accompany me on my proposed tramp to the barren 
 grounds. The old chief in a regretful tone of voice 
 said, that but for his age he would go with me 
 himself, but " He now too old, too muchee old," and 
 then silently sat and thought. 
 
 In the mean time supper was brought in by his 
 squaw and the younger women, who remained to 
 
218 
 
 LONE LIFE : 
 
 
 
 participate in tlie feust — a stewed porcupine, and no 
 mean ilelieaey F can voucli for, when j)r()perly 
 cooked. At length (jiuvilnm .sujftclt^ and the host and 
 I ceased tof^etlier, and both (h*e\v a si<;h of relief, 
 not a had indication tliat wo had had enou<i;h. After 
 a yawn and a stretch, and a h»n^ but finally suc- 
 cessful effort to li<^ht his pipe, tiie cliief conunenced : 
 
 " I have been thinUin<i;, as I cannot go, and you 
 want Indians to accompany you " — here tlic scjuavr, 
 her step-daughter, and daughter ceased eating, and 
 fixed their eyes intently upon the head of the family 
 — " that you had better take my brother's son," con- 
 tinued the chief ;" but he got no further, for hero 
 Saucy exclaimed, " I go !" Fatty-jdumpy called out, 
 ^' Me go !" and the old harridan, the female head of 
 the house, in whom up to the present moment 1 had 
 seen some points worthy of admiration, in shrill, 
 high falsetto voice, backed up the proposition of both 
 the girls. 
 
 I am certain if any one could have seen me under 
 the ordeal, they would have said that I looked sternly 
 grand upon this occasion. If I did not, I felt so; 
 but my stateliness availed nothing in the womens 
 eyes, for there ensued from their tongues a wrangle 
 of high words, entirely conducted in Indian ; but 
 ignorant as I was of that language, I could frequently 
 detect the mention of my name. 
 
A YEAU IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 211> 
 
 Stately us the monarch on his tlirono T sat, pa- 
 titMitly waiting- fur tho chief to reprove such un- 
 seemly conduct; but relief did not come — taciturn 
 lie continued to remain. What conclusion hut one 
 could I under such circumstances come to, that the 
 poor old fellow was hen-pecked; hen-pecked a>; 
 severely as any city man by aristocratic; wife, as any 
 good-looking idle ne'er do anything for himself by 
 the i)artner of his joys and sorrows, who has several 
 thousands laid out at interest, and considerable ex- 
 pectation loomin<^ in futurity. To escape civili- 
 sation, nuitch-makin^ mothers, would-be married 
 daughters, I liad betaken myself to a life of solitude, 
 and after all to find that the female bosom, though 
 clothed in deer-skin, was actuated by the same im- 
 pulses as those habited in silks and laces — was it not 
 disappointing — fearfully disappointing ? 
 
 From the head of the family I could not get an- 
 other word that night, no, not a syllable ; but what the 
 chief wanted in powers of speech, was amply made up 
 by his better-half — his superior half, 1 should have 
 said. Not the least amusing, well, annoying portion 
 of the matter was, that 1, the by far most interested 
 person, was not permitted an opportunity to get in a 
 word, either in the way of objection or dissent, edge- 
 wise or otherwise ; evidently it was considered that I 
 had been put up at auction, bid for, knocked down, 
 
220 
 
 LONi: i.iFr: 
 
 and fiold. Ono consolntion T nevorthcK'ss noted, 
 there was a split in the camp, and disnnion ol'ton leads 
 to dpstrnction, tliou^ht I, chncklin^', nnnd yon in- 
 ternall}', for both the youn^ hidies had the argument 
 to themselves, which was conducted in the aii<^riest 
 tones, when the old stpiaw spoke, and after much 
 earnestness, and a considerable amount of patience, 
 pacified the belligerents. 
 
 All this time tho old chief was dumb ; the only 
 evidence that he evinced of life was the puff, puff, 
 puff of his fondly-loved pipe. And your humble 
 servant followed suit, rivalling in his elTbrts the 
 grandeur of tho old Sachem. However, the aged 
 Indian was not long left to himself, his wife, acting 
 as spokesman for the daughters, harangued him, and 
 he answered in the affirmative by a grunt. Then 
 the old lady addressed her broken English to me. 
 Courtesy forbade me not to listen ; the purport of 
 what she said was that her two daughters desired to 
 appropriate me ; that Saucy was without a rival in 
 paddling a canoe or making camp ; and Fatty-plumpy 
 for packing home game, or making moccasins, was 
 beyond all compeers, and that they botli wished to 
 become my squaws. At this ipeech, whicli I have 
 much abbreviated, the old chief grunted a " humph '* 
 of assent, and the young women in question looked 
 
V YHAR IN THE WILDEKNESS. 
 
 221 
 
 unutterable things at inc, and (lofiantly at eaoh 
 othur. 
 
 At lon«;tli I felt ready for sleep, so I rolled myself 
 in my l>!aid<ct and laid down ; however, the drowsy 
 god forsook me after hein^ in the land (tf dreams f«>r 
 an hour or two. The heat felt oppressive, and the 
 mos(piitoes hovered over me in clouds, when 1 awoke; 
 but I was not half refreshed, so craved for more repose. 
 Giving a stretch, I rolled over on the other side, hut. 
 came iii contact with a recliniuf;; figure. Well, why 
 not sleej) with my face turned one way as well as 
 anothei*, thought I, sol tried to revert to my original 
 position, hut my outstretched arms came in contact 
 wit! another human form. Wy degrees I was fully 
 awake. 1 remembered the country I was in, and how 
 in it customs ])revaile(l widely different from those in 
 the land of my birth ; and that the danger in those 
 unknown forests, and among its inhabitants, were 
 universally greater than could be encountered at 
 home. So these noble confiding people, the chief 
 and the sharer of his state, knowing this, had taken up 
 their sleeping place on either side of me, the better 
 to preserve your humble servant from all dangers 
 while a guest in their humble dwelling. 
 
 Very considerate, doubtless, I thought this, far 
 more than your most devoted host would do for you 
 
222 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 in England. (Oh how selfish society over there has 
 become of late years ; a man's value now-a-days is 
 reckoned by the Ic.igth of his purse. Any snob can 
 marry a pretty woman if the balance at his banker's 
 will furnish her with an indefinite amount of gewgaws, 
 &r., floated through my brain in the course of 
 the subsequent half -hour.) However, it was time 
 again to go to sleep, and douotlcs^ I would have done 
 so, but for those bloodthirsty pests, tlie mosquitoes, 
 who kept singing and biting, biting and singing till 
 I could stand it no longer. 
 
 For a moment, nervously, I fumbled in my pockets 
 for my match-box ; everything in rotation came to 
 hand but what I wanted; at length I clasped the 
 object of my search, and I looked forward with 
 transport to blowing such a cloud as would make 
 every one of these winged pests as sick as a bride of 
 her marriage tour, such a one as prefers to be able to 
 say that she spent her honeymoon abroad, so gets a 
 taste of a thorough south-western gale crossing the 
 Channel. By the sense of touch I loaded my pipe, then 
 sat up and sharply di*ew the match over the rough edge 
 of the box, there was a splutter, a blaze, and afterwards 
 a doubtful moment whether the lucif er would burn up 
 or not ; the hesitation decided the matter in my favour, 
 and as I sucked into the bowl of my pipe the ruddy 
 blaze I cast my eyes thoughtfully upon the recumbent 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 223 
 
 figures on either sick',for I had no desire to wake elderly- 
 people, knowing how important it is that they should 
 have an uninteiTupted night's rest. But is it possible, 
 that on my left is no wrinkled face, that on the right 
 no shrivelled-up arm. 
 
 In my astonishment I nearly swallowed pipe, stem 
 and all ; and might have shoved the match down my 
 throat, for I extinguished it, and throwing myself back 
 with a groan, stoically permit+o»^i the mosquitoes to 
 drink, if they thought proper, my heart's blood. But 
 all mv fortitude could not school me long to treat 
 these winged pests with indifference, so in anguish 
 of spirit I groaned, and restlessly and unwillingly kept 
 changing ray position. 
 
 At length a gentle voice asked me if I was ill. I 
 answered not, when another repeated the same query. 
 In an instant I pulled my blanket over my head 
 and commenced to snore vociferously, as if I had 
 never known any other state than somnolence. The 
 result of this last stratagem was different from what 
 I anticipated, for doubtless impressed with the belief 
 that I wished to impart to them, simultaneously each 
 of my flankers came closer to me ; the move might 
 have been prompted by the philanthropic desire to 
 leave less room for the mosquitoes to practice their 
 leech-like proclivities upon me. I, however, in time 
 slept, not soundly ; for I dreamed a dream, which, 
 
W' 
 
 ' 
 
 11^ 
 
 ^.!i 
 
 224 
 
 LONE LIFE : 
 
 when I thought over in the morning, reminded me 
 of what I had read of the temptations good St. 
 Anthony had been submitted to. 
 
 To say that I rose up refreshed would be stating 
 an untruth ; my mind was distrait^ my body demo- 
 ralised, but the old cure served me good purpose. 
 Don't imagine I am going to sound the praises of 
 brandy and soda-water, for I don't believe in them, 
 and if I did, they were not obtainable here ; but a 
 plunge into the clear pellucid lake. 
 
 During a stroll, afterwards, I found I had an 
 appetite, so returned to :lie wigwam, having tried 
 very hard, and almost satisfactorily, to conclude that 
 the experiences of last night never occurred, but 
 were tlie result of a highly-wrought imagination 
 caused by a disordered stomach. My reception on 
 joining the breakfast was cordial in the extreme ; 
 nothing transpired to mar the harmony of the en- 
 tertainment, so the clouds of future disagreeables 
 which I had fabricated, floated away like mist before 
 the sun. 
 
 Witli the old chief as companion, after having fed 
 till nature demanded no more, we sauntered out to 
 smoke our morning pipe. My dogs were as usual at 
 my heels, for now that I was among strangers, they 
 never permitted me to be out of their sight for a 
 moment. Indians are seldom, almost never loquacious, 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 225 
 
 jd me 
 
 (1 St. 
 
 itating 
 demo- 
 11" pose. 
 ises of 
 them, 
 but a 
 
 ad an 
 I tried 
 \e that 
 d, but 
 ination 
 ion on 
 treme ; 
 he en- 
 eeables 
 before 
 
 ing fed 
 out to 
 sual at 
 s, they 
 ; for a 
 lacious. 
 
 nnd this interview did not belie tlieir character, 
 lossibly we had been torrcther a quarter of an hour, 
 perliaps more, when a remarkably well-bred looking 
 fox-hound came toward? us. From the way he 
 carried his head, I knew that he cither was deaf, or 
 suffered severely from canker in one of his ears. At 
 this apparition I was surprised, immensely surprised, 
 although I doubt if I could have been knocked down 
 with a feather. Was such to be wondered at, for 
 here was an animal that would have done credit, 
 aye, possibly led the van in the best-bred pack in 
 England? In height the hound was about twenty- 
 six inches at the shoulder, and his deep chest and 
 strong couplings spoke of unusual strength and 
 power. When approaching us, my dogs met him 
 half-way, and if 1 dare judge from his manner, he 
 recalled from their appearance memories of a long 
 past life. No growl was on his lip, or churlishness 
 denoted by his open honest face as the strangers 
 advanced and welcomed him. Again and again, as 
 if uncertain that this interview were possible, he 
 inspected Skye and Poteen, and as often would 
 stretch himself, scratching up the grass with his 
 hind legs, and place his deep-flewed muzzle in the 
 air and cause the woods to echo with his deep mellow 
 voice. 
 
 VOL I. Q 
 
 
22G 
 
 LONE LIFE 
 
 t 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 ,C 
 
 
 ;S 
 
 
 ! 
 
 - 
 
 1 
 
 
 l!i 
 
 
 ii 
 
 ^^^H^H ' 
 
 
 
 ^^^B 9 
 i^^^" 
 
 |ii 
 
 
 BHIHP 
 
 R 
 
 ! 
 
 . ' _' -Vs 
 
 *': If 
 
 At lengtli tlic old hound came towards me. 1 held 
 down my hand to caress him, but he withdrew his 
 head and sniffed around it for some minutes ; then 
 he raised himself on his hind limbs, placed his paws 
 upon my shoulder, and looking heavenward, gave 
 expression to his feelings by many a deep and long- 
 drawn note of pleasure. 
 
 *' That dog know you ?" said the old chief. 
 
 " No, but he knows my race,'' responded I ; " but 
 Avhere does he come from?" I inquired. 
 
 And the old Indian told me ; it was a long story, but 
 I will do my best to narrate it correctly. 
 
 '* Years ago there came here a white man. lie was 
 a great chief in his own country the voyageurs told 
 me. With him -were two dogs, that is one ; for two 
 years he lived among us, and each day he spent in 
 fishing and hunting ; day after day he went to the 
 woods or water, and never returned without game. At 
 lengtli a bear killed one of his dogs and he was sad. 
 Months afterwards passed on till summer came, when 
 he bid us good-bye, and started across the lake, for 
 he said he was going to the east, to the land of his 
 fathers. In summer, when the waters are low, the 
 most skilful Indian can with difficultv travel that 
 route ; for the sharp jagged rocks are so close and near 
 the surface that none but those who know the rapids 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 227 
 
 intimately can pass tlirour^li tlieni in safety. I feared 
 for this wliitc man ; I even proposed to <:;() witli liini 
 myself, or send one of tlic younf]^ men of tlic tribe, 
 bnt his answer ever ^vas, * I <^o ah)nc.*' The day 
 he dej)arted his canoe ^vas out of sit^ht l)efore noon, 
 and witli its disappearance we ceased to tliink of him, 
 not to forget him. Four days after his master liad left, 
 this dog returned to our camp, not where it is now, but 
 away across that bay, and tlie poor creature was half- 
 starved from want of food, and almost devoured by the 
 flies. A dog will not leave his master while he lives, 
 therefore I saw evil in this, so that nif-ht determined 
 to find out if I had just grounds for my forebodings. 
 They were too true ; we found the canoe with a hole 
 in its side and bottom upwards against the rocks, 
 near at hand the dead nnd disfigured body of our 
 late visitor. On that point (pointing northward), 
 under a hemlock, where the cariboo pass every 
 spring and fall, he is buried." 
 
 A few days afterwards one of the tribe found his 
 ffun. " I will fetch it for vou to look at ;" and for a 
 few moments I was left alone ; no, not alone, for my 
 four-footed companions were with me, and the old 
 hound, who looked steadfastly in my face, and to 
 every word of petting or commendation I uttered 
 bow-wowed a deep and solemn response. 
 
 q2 
 
228 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 Tlic cluef was not loiifr alxsent ; on his return lie 
 placed in my liand a modern double-gun, and 
 although it showed evidence of wear and neglect, 
 the excellence of its workmanship could not be 
 disputed. I glanced along the rib that separated the 
 barrels at the oreecli ; rust had as vet done little to 
 obliterate the name of one of the most fashionable 
 West-end makers of twenty-five years ago. 
 
 But who \i '''r^ stranger? would it over be 
 known? Whe'ii^x .u' not, of one thing I felt cer- 
 tain, that lie P" a n>an of good birth and fair 
 means, or how wouid he lin e possessed a pair of 
 hounds that the Beaufort pack might have been proud 
 of, a gun from the hands of a maker that Royalty 
 woukl have patronised? 
 
 Looking across intently at that distant point I 
 could distinguish a hemlock, faintly it is true, still 
 my eye is too conversant with the foliage of trees to 
 make a mistake ; and beneath its sombre plumage rests 
 one for whom many a fair acre and an ancestral hall 
 possibly was intended as an heritage. Does no mother 
 ^pine for the wanderer's return? or has watching and 
 hope deferred laid her in an early grave? I look 
 down and the old hound's eye catches mine, and 
 .again he sounds a deep and sad note, truly a fitting 
 requiem to my thoughts. Skye and Poteen, jealous 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 22ir 
 
 mi lie 
 
 by nature to an extreme, took no dislike to their 
 fellow-countryman, and the old creature^ would not 
 leave me for a moment ; his attachment was painful, 
 for his blear eyes remained ever fixed on me, as if to 
 lose me from his siglit was to lose all tliat bound 
 him to life, could instinct have told him to the land' 
 of his birth. 
 
 Later on In the day I found the (diicfs nephew ; he 
 was an active, clean-built youth of three or four-and- 
 twenty. To him I stated in as concise a manner as' 
 possible my future movements, and my desire for his 
 companionship. Like all Indians, till there was a 
 grand pow-wow over tlie subject, he would promise 
 nothing, so another day was lost. On the morrow, 
 however, I became impatient, and vowed I should go 
 with Sugar as my sole companion, if he had not 
 made up his mind by sunrise next morning. That 
 night his services were tendered and ; cepted; and 1 
 was more than satisfied, for I believed I had obtained 
 a guide in whom I could repose every confidence^ 
 and who would stand to me through every dangei* as 
 long as he possessed life. 
 
 The ways of the Chinese are pronounced to be 
 strange by a popular modern writer; the same con- 
 clusion I have long come to about the Indians, so 
 commenced to believe that the livelv interest taken 
 
230 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 in me by the (liiughtcrs of tlie liejuls of the cstablisli- 
 ment was only an indication of the value the chief 
 placed upon the friendsliip of the Avhite stranger, and 
 their choice of restin<^-place ininicdiatcly in my 
 vicinity on the last niglit, instead of rc])osin^ as far 
 as possible from who nii<j;ht have been the gayest of 
 IjQtharios, caused me scarcely more than a momentary 
 thought. ^lorcover, it takes two to make love, and 
 as I had not evinced the slightest disposition for 
 even flirtation, I felt that really there were no grounds 
 for alarm. However, I had reckoned wrongly, as the 
 sequel will show. 
 
 About sunrise I was on the beach ready for de- 
 parture. The baggage, much augmented in quantity, 
 lay ready for shipment, but my canoe had disap- 
 peared. Wondering what could liave become of it, 
 I was awoke from my reverie by a much larger craft 
 being carried out of the brush and launched, and 
 before I could interfere, the luggage was (|uickly 
 placed on board, each of the young squaws, paddle 
 in hand, taking a position in it. In a moment 1 saw 
 a deep trap had been laid for me, and that it would 
 require some finesse' and much decision of character 
 not to fall into it. 
 
 Drawing myself up I inquired what had become 
 of my canoe. A Babel of tongues answered that it 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 231 
 
 was too small. To this statonient I politely but 
 firmly differed; but the claiuour of half a dozen 
 voices drowned my words. Order and silence l)ein«^ 
 restored, I counted on my fingers to the old chief 
 the number of my party, and aj)pealed to his judg- 
 ment for support. Doubtless he would have done so, 
 but the high falsetto voice of his wife drowned the old 
 man's words ere they got utterance ; " And him, and 
 him," the harridan exclaimed over and over again, 
 pointing to the two girls, who each time echoed her 
 -words with, ^' And me, and me," pointing at the same 
 time with the forefinn;cr of their ri^iht hand towards 
 their charming selves. 
 
 This could not bo. I had no food, no accommoda- 
 tion for such an incrcaso to my party, and therefore 
 I must decline the pleasure of their company. But 
 the old squaw, old woman like, again put in her oar, 
 and addressing herself to me, said, " But him your 
 squaw, and him your squaw," pointing out the young 
 ladies in succession, and continued this chant for 
 several minutes, her gestures and voice becoming 
 momentarily louder. 
 
 At length I could stand it no longer, so insisted 
 that my canoe should be produced. After this there 
 was a - pause, and I really commenced to fear that I 
 was trapped, when the old chief recovered his self- 
 
232 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 possession, ultimately ordering two of the outsiJc spec- 
 tators, who I must say all along appeared immensely 
 tickled at the whole proceeding, to fetch my canoe 
 from the brush where it had doubtless been secreted 
 by orders of my would-be mother-in-law, and my 
 would-be wives. To pick out from among the bag- 
 gage in the larger craft what belonged to me was 
 only the work of a few moments; in a second or 
 two afterwards we were all afloat and some yard* 
 intervening between the shore, when a thought 
 struck me that it would be better to endeavour to 
 say a few parting words that would pacify my late 
 hospitable friends. So I addressed them and stated 
 that my refusal of the honour that had been offered 
 me, was not from a depreciation of the beauty and 
 attractiveness of the good old chiefs daughters, very 
 far from it, for Saucy rivalled the fawn in grace and 
 Fatty-plumpy the swan in rounded contour of form, 
 that how happy could any man be with either, and su- 
 premely blessed with both, but to accept so much hap- 
 piness required consideration, which I would give it 
 during my absence. This excuse evidently was not 
 considered in a favourable light, for both mother and 
 daughters turned upon the old chief, whose raised voice 
 now indicated that he had already borne as much as 
 human nature could or would submit to. As the light 
 
A YEAU IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 2:u 
 
 buoyant craft swiftly glided from the shore, I heard a 
 long deep liowl ; it was the poor old hound whom 
 the Indians were dragging from the water, which 
 he liad entered obviously with the intention of 
 swimming after me. 
 
 Once clear of the headlands, as the breeze was 
 fair, a blanket was set to officiate as sail, and we 
 bowled along right merrily over the sparkling waters 
 while I paid out a heavily shotted spoon-bait with 
 the hope of catching some of the great lake trout 
 which abound in all these inland waters. After being 
 over an hour unsuccessful as we skirted the sombre 
 sides of a heavily timbered island, I had a run 
 and soon after landed a fish of near twenty pounds 
 weight. 
 
 From its size I might have expected a fierce and 
 
 protracted struggle, but these lake dwellers possess 
 
 none of the game qualities of the inhabitants of the 
 
 rivers and brooks ; they are very dark in colour with 
 
 large heads, and although no doubt for an instant 
 
 can arise that they do not belong to the SalmonidcB 
 
 family, still they are not possessed of the graceful 
 
 lines and contour of the other representatives of 
 
 the race. 
 
 While near land, although the water had every 
 appearance of great depth, my spoon-bait was scarcely 
 
11^ 
 
 I 
 
 nil ' ' 
 
 I 1 Is 
 
 lilt 1 
 
 m 
 
 LONi: life: 
 
 overboard a few miiuitos hcloro 1 hooked ti ILsh, and 
 as nono got away and the liook wms deeply fastened 
 in the gullet of eaeh eapture, 1 am inclined to be- 
 lieve that they are most j:;reedy feeders. 
 
 In my younger days I lived for some tinie on the 
 banks of Lough Neagli, in the North of Ireland ; fre- 
 quently I Inive seen the iishermen there take in their 
 draught-nets a large lake trout which they called doli- 
 <;han and buddoch ; the resemblance between these 
 fish anil those of this distant lake in north-west 
 territory was very striking. Those in Ireland go up 
 the rivers in autunui to si)awn, whether their Ameri- 
 can congeners have the same habit I was unable to 
 learn. 
 
 Carrying sail upon a canoe Is so dangerous, except 
 •\vhcn its management be entirely irusted to Indians, 
 that I would advise no white man to attempt it, unless 
 he be brought up in the backwoods, and accustomed to 
 tlie management of these crafts from his infancy, 
 for the very slightest mistake will turn them over. 
 At first when the blanket was set I acknowledge to 
 having felt nervous, but soon that feeling was dis- 
 pelled, for any one at a glance could see that my new 
 attendant was most skilful in handling his tottleish 
 bark. 
 
 Skirting for miles a low weedy shore, just such a 
 
A YEAU IN Tin: WILDKUNESS. 
 
 235 
 
 , nnd 
 to nod 
 u be- 
 lli tho 
 ; frc- 
 I thoir 
 .1 doU- 
 
 theso 
 li-\vcst 
 
 go lip 
 ^ineri- 
 ablo to 
 
 except 
 idians, 
 
 unless 
 Imcd to 
 ifancy, 
 I over. 
 \diiQ to 
 las dis- 
 liv new 
 
 )ttleish 
 
 place ns the angler at home would expect to find 
 ]>ike, we thmlded a rocky headland, nnd disomharkod 
 at the niontliof a clear pehhly-hottonuMl stream which 
 entered the lake in a <^dorious r:i|iid. Tinu^ was pre- 
 cious, ns we were anxions to tramp ten miles before 
 dark, or nothing would have jdensed mo better than 
 to have tried how the thousands of trout rising on 
 every side would take ihe artificial fly. 
 
 Secreting our canoe i!i a dark thicket of dwarf 
 cedar, shouldering our respective packs and startuig 
 in Indian file over an undefined trail, took few more 
 minutes than re([uired to narrate it, and before wo 
 had gone over a quarter of a mile, we had entered 
 as dark and gloomy a piece of woodland I ever re- 
 member to have traversed. 
 
 such a 
 
I, 'Pi 
 
 236 
 
 LONE LIFE : 
 
 '°^ 
 
 
 il 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 My new attendant I called Cariboo (not because 
 that was his name, but had some resemblance to it), 
 for the Indian languages have a peculiar guttural in- 
 tonation in nearly every syllable, that even if you 
 remember a word it is next to impossible to pronounce 
 it correctly. 
 
 Our line of march was in the following order. 
 Cariboo in front, succeeded by Sugar, myself bring- 
 ing up the rear. The heaviest load was carried by 
 the leader. A bout fifty pounds it must have weighed, 
 not including my spare gun and some loose ammuni- 
 tion. My own pack was about thirty-five pounds, 
 while Sugar's was somewhat less. 
 
 From the spongy nature of the soil our progress 
 at first was very slow, not even a mile an hour, but 
 as we commenced to ascend to more elevated ground, 
 
; because 
 ce to it), 
 ;tural in- 
 1 if you 
 ronounce 
 
 [cr order, 
 ilf bring- 
 arried by 
 
 weighed, 
 ammuni- 
 5 pounds. 
 
 : progress 
 hour, but 
 id ground, 
 
 A YEAR IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 237 
 
 the trees and brush becoming less dense and the 
 footing better, the pace considerably increased. 
 
 I can carry a gun from night till morning and feel 
 very trifling fatigue result ; but the moment I mount 
 a pack, all energy and strength seem to desert me. 
 I believe most thoroughly that Cariboo would have 
 no more difficulty in carrying a hundred-weight than 
 I wouUl my present load. The Indians are really 
 extraordinary fellows at such a task, and the rapidity 
 that they get over the ground ■when performing it, 
 always providing the walking is good, cannot fail to 
 evoke the admiration of all observers. 
 
 From cedar and hemlock swamp we got into forests 
 of deciduous timber, here and there mixed with pine ; 
 hare-runs were numerous in every direction, and the 
 dogs kept incessantly flushing spruce-grouse. If it 
 had not been for the flies, which were very trouble- 
 some, and the severe tax upon our strength imposed 
 oy our loads, this walk would have been most enjoyable 
 after we left the lowlands ; but long before I reached 
 our halting-place I felt thoroughly knocked up, pride, 
 and the injury that might ensue from setting so bad 
 an example, alone preventing me from giving in. 
 
 At length — and I don't think I ever uttered " thank 
 God" with more fervency for anything — we came to 
 a small opening, with numerous lodge-poles stand- 
 
 lit:: 
 
238 
 
 LONE LIFE 
 
 ing in it. Here Cariboo stopped, and without the 
 slightest evidence of impatience or desire for release, 
 quietly deposited his load. I fear I did not follow 
 the example set me with the same patience and 
 method ; but, oh ! thanks for the relief I got when 
 released from its pressure. 
 
 A prettier spot for a hunter's camp would be difficult 
 to find. From a brook about twenty yards wide, bound- 
 ing over a rock and gravel bottom, rose an abrupt 
 slope, the summit of which was flat and covered with 
 the closest carpeting of moss and grass. In front, 
 and on either flank, stretched a fine forest of deci- 
 duous and coniferous timber now in all the glory of 
 summer foliage. 
 
 My companions, after an absence of a few minutes, 
 returned with loads of birch-bark, so blackened with 
 smoke that they had evidently done duty frequently 
 before, and with them soon constructed a capital 
 wigwam. The frying-pan was shortly after brought 
 into play, so that ere darkness set in, there was 
 every prospect of passing a most comfortable night. 
 
 The morning broke bright and clear, not a cloud 
 upon the sky, not a fleece of mist upon the earth, 
 and far-off ridges, with their fringe of glorious pines, 
 stood forth in clearness of outline, so that the 
 stranger only accustomed to other climes, would have 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 231> 
 
 it the 
 slease, 
 follow 
 13 and 
 , when 
 
 ifficult 
 bound- 
 abrupt 
 id with 
 front, 
 f deci- 
 lorv of 
 
 linuteSy 
 d with 
 [uently 
 capital 
 Drought 
 re was 
 light, 
 cloud 
 earth, 
 s pines, 
 at the 
 Id have 
 
 imagined them half the distance from us that they 
 were. And the perfect silence that reigned around 
 was not even broken by the sough of the wind. 
 
 " Beautiful ! charming ! lovely !" I exclaimed. 
 Confound those flies though ; in my absence of 
 mind the pests had taken advantage of me, and ruth- 
 lessly awoke me from my reverie. 
 
 The heavy tramp through the swamp, and the 
 climb up the steep ascent yesterday, had made me 
 more than desirous for a dip in the murmuring 
 brook at our feet ; but how to accomplish it I knew 
 not, for to defend my face and hands, let alone my 
 whole body, from mosquitoes and black-flies, was a 
 task I was certain most imperfectly to perform ; but 
 I felt dirty, clammy, and craved for the invigorating^ 
 pleasure of lolling at length in one of the shallow 
 rapids. The more I considered the risk, the less could 
 I restrain my hankering, so I resolved to chance it. 
 To undress and tumble into the water was not 
 difficult, sed revocare gracilis, that was the hitch, for 
 wet or only partially diy drawers, or even trousers, 
 are apt to have a will of their own and resist being 
 rapidly jumped into. Therefore I summoned Sugar 
 and directed him to cut a cedar branch with which 
 to thrash the scoundrels off while I got into the first 
 coating of my apparel. 
 
240 
 
 LONE LIFE 
 
 ill 
 
 " Arc you ready, boy ?" I exclaimed, when I saw 
 him standing on the bank with the bough in his hand. 
 
 ** Yes, Capen," lie exclaimed, and I made one 
 rush for him. 
 
 Vigorously he applied the whisk ; with celerity I 
 struggled to get into my unmentionables, and as ever 
 found the old adage verified, " the greater haste, the 
 worse speed," when the lad ceased suddenly in his 
 efforts, for the little vixen Skye, supposing no doubt 
 he was beating me, seized him by the hand. In an 
 instant I turned round ; the dog was about to renew 
 the contest with total disregard for my voice, so I 
 made a rush at him, and ludicrous to listen to, very 
 painful to go through, I got a fearful cropper, for 
 know, oh reader, that I had only succeeded in getting 
 one leg home in my lower garment. To pick myself 
 up, rush to my clothes and get into them, was only 
 the work of a few minutes ; but I deserved to be pitied, 
 a hundred black-flies, and as many more mosquitoes, 
 were already devouring me with all the assiduity of 
 creatures who never before had known what it was to 
 have a good square meal. 
 
 Fortunately, the lad was not much injured by the 
 dog's teeth ; still prevention is better than cure, so I 
 made him suck the wound till I could obtain my 
 stick of caustic (a thing that no one should knock 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 241 
 
 [ saw 
 hand. 
 
 Q one 
 
 rity I 
 s ever 
 te, the 
 in his 
 
 doubt 
 
 In an 
 
 renew 
 3, so I 
 D, very 
 er, for 
 getting 
 
 myself 
 as only 
 i pitied, 
 quitoes, 
 
 iuity of 
 t was to 
 
 1 by the 
 ire, so I 
 ain my 
 1 knock 
 
 about the bush without), when I cauterised the wound^ 
 and further explained so satisfactorily the cause of 
 the dog's assault, that both the biter and the bitten- 
 were in ten minutes as good friends as ever. 
 
 Our tramp next day was very pleasant, rolling 
 high grounds covered with birch being the prepon- 
 derating feature. By noon we had made such goodt 
 progress that we considered we had earned a halt of 
 a couple of hours. While taking a stroll around to 
 look for spruce-grouse, I came across a noble speci- 
 men of the great horned-owl. This bird must not be 
 confused with the eagle, Canadian, or horned-owl, for 
 it is a much larger, more powerful, and a far handsomer 
 plumaged bird ; in fact it is to American Strigidce 
 what the eagle is to Falconidiw, It also does not 
 appear to suffer from the effects of daylight, fo? 
 when flushed it took wing with as much confidence 
 as any diurnal bird, alighting afterwards upon a 
 distant tree without the slightest awkwardness. To 
 find them among hardwood timber during the day, 
 I believe to be rare ; for heretofore I have only seen 
 them in the densest cover of spruce and hemlock ; 
 but on mentioning the subject to Cariboo, he in- 
 formed me that in these sequestered districts the birch 
 openings appeared to be their favourite resort. 
 
 Before starting Sugar joined us with what the 
 VOL. I. R 
 
542 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 lit 
 
 Americans would call '' a fine mess of trout." He 
 had captured them all with a piece of red cloth tied 
 over the shank of his hook, his rod and tackle being 
 a sajiling and a piece of cord. I do not think I ever 
 saw fish with more resplendent colours, their backs 
 being of the deepest marbled green, flanks like bur- 
 nished copper, gradually running into straw-colour 
 along the stomach, while their sides were covered 
 with the most brilliant of vermilion and ochre 
 spots. 
 
 By a couple of hours before sunset I should deem 
 that we had made near upon twenty miles, so a halt 
 was called in order that due time could be allowed 
 for getting the camp in order before night set in. 
 During the latter portion of the day cariboo tracks 
 existed in every direction, but not one was to be 
 seen. My elder associate noticed me observing them, 
 and said : 
 
 " By-and-bye, two three day, you find plenty." 
 Our encampment this evening was no less to be 
 admired than that of last night, for behind us rose 
 some rather elevated and precipitous ridges clothed 
 to their summit with magnificent pines, while beneath 
 lay a lake, not over a mile in length, with a solitary 
 wooded island in its centre. In Scotland it would 
 . have been called a tarn ; with this word I somehow 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 243 
 
 5? 
 
 associate supernatural beings, and few places I have 
 ever seen were more likely to conjure up ideas 
 in the mind of the believer in the mystic world than 
 this lonely sheet of water. 
 
 Little of the sun's rays ever glinted off its bosom, 
 for the land rose high around its placid surface, and 
 the giant evergreens towered their heads towards 
 heaven from the most elevated crests. An hour 
 after the sun had disappeared a thread-sized crescent 
 moon showed itself in the clear firmament above the 
 feathery tree tops, and as the mosquitoes were less 
 abundant, probably from the elevation of our posi- 
 tion, I took my evening pipe out-doors. Oh, what a 
 wonderful stillness reigned around; even the toad 
 and green-headed frog had grown ashamed of dis- 
 turbing the solitude, and the Canadian owl had de- 
 sisted from uttering its maniac laugh. 
 
 Home and friends, companions in arms, some of 
 whom had long gone to their resting-place, arose in 
 vision before me. Crimean life, Indian plains, and 
 Chinese joss-houses, passed before the retina of my 
 brain, as if all composed one gigantic panorama. 
 Then London with its innumerable gaslights, its 
 busy thoroughfares, and brilliantly lit places of 
 amusement, occupied my thoughts. IMy pipe had 
 long gone out ; feeling chilly from the night air, 1 
 
 r2 
 
244 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 ■it 
 Ifi 
 
 I; 
 
 II 
 
 was about to make a move for my rug and camp-fire^ 
 when a yell as sudden as it was diabolical, rose, was 
 re-echoed, and died away. My blood for a moment 
 ran chill ; but before I had further time for action, 
 the same notes arose from another point ; and my 
 dogs, who were crouching at my feet, rose as if by 
 mutual arrangement, so simultaneous was their 
 action, and elevating their heads, howled most dis- 
 mally. Well I knew what produced such doleful 
 notes, still never do I hear them without a shudder. 
 The strong-minded reader will say how childish ; if 
 he has experienced this wild yell in a suitable situa- 
 tion, I would submit to his opinion without cavil ; 
 but as I deem such to be improbable, I confess my 
 weakness, for after all it was only the voice of the 
 lucifee or bay lynx. 
 
 For three days we passed onwards, our path where 
 possible being by compass due north, and one day 
 was but a resume of the other; our tramp from 
 breaking up camp in the morning to pitching at night, 
 seldom exceeding twelve or thirteen miles. 
 
 As Cariboo asserted, we saw his namesakes on the 
 third afternoon ; there were more than a dozen to- 
 gether, all more or less immersed in water on the 
 margin of a flat-shored lake. 
 
 I did not see them till pointed out, and as fresh 
 
A YEAH IN THE WILDEllNESS. 
 
 245 
 
 np-firc, 
 se, was 
 loment 
 action, 
 ind my 
 i if by 
 their 
 )st dis- 
 doleful 
 ludder. 
 isli; if 
 B situii- 
 cavil ; 
 2SS my 
 of the 
 
 where 
 le day 
 from 
 ; night, 
 
 on the 
 ;en to- 
 on the 
 
 5 fresh 
 
 meat was desirable, after tying up the dogs with in- 
 struction to release them if I waved [my gun over 
 my liead, I resolved to make a stalk. 
 
 At starting I thought my undertaking easy enough, 
 but soon found I had calculated without my host ; 
 for I discovered, when within three hundred yards 
 of the quarry, that if I persisted in my approach 
 from where I was, that I must cross a bare piece 
 of smooth stony ground, almost a hundred yards in 
 <liameter. 
 
 So I drew back and made a detour, bettering 
 ■myself, if possible, as regards winds, and recom- 
 menced an advance. Still it was not all easy sailing, 
 for I was obliged to crawl along a dry crack little 
 larger than a furrow that was laced and interlaced 
 with the most affectionate briers I ever remember to 
 have come in contact with. Though not the " wait-a- 
 bits" of South Africa, they certainly would do no 
 discredit to that distant part of the world. However, 
 patience and a determination not to hurry, enabled 
 me to overcome their embraces without losing temper. 
 Inequalities in the ground, if trifling, are not obser- 
 vable from a distance; thus quite ignorant of the 
 fortune in store for me I found that I could approach 
 within fifty yards of the cariboo without more incon- 
 venience than bending my shoulders. At length I 
 
246 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 11^ 
 
 I 
 
 reached the brow that intervened between nic and 
 the f;amc; something, I could not ima«^ine that it 
 was my approach, had alarmed them, and they were- 
 hastily leaving the water. 
 
 The nearest animal to me was a fine well-fed doe. 
 On her flank I took aim; with the report she staggered^ 
 spun round and fell ; in a moment after recovered 
 her feet, and with hollow back, raised head, and pro- 
 truding tongue, endeavoured to follow her comrades,, 
 who, by this time, were scouring away in the distance. 
 I raised my gun and waved it for Poteen to be 
 released ; the movement disclosed to the wounded 
 deer my position, which caused her to renew her 
 efforts to escape, and so successful were they that I 
 deemed it better to give her another shot. The thud 
 that reached my ears told that the bullet had not 
 been fruitlessly expended ; and from the aim I had 
 taken I believed that the ball had lodged within a 
 few inches of its predecessor, still no indication was 
 evinced by the stricken creature of its having any 
 effect. But Poteen passes me with a rush, nor stops 
 to inquire what is expected of him, but with the 
 sagacity of his colley blood he sees and comprehends 
 the whole affair, and is in a few moments baying the 
 unfortunate cariboo. Having loaded I was approach- 
 ing to deliver the coup-de-grace, when Skye, going 
 
nc nncll 
 tluit it 
 ly ^ve^e 
 
 'ed doe. 
 
 mrcred, 
 
 covered 
 nd pro- 
 nirades,. 
 istance. 
 
 to be 
 ounded 
 cw her 
 
 that I 
 le thud 
 lad not 
 1 1 had 
 Ithin a 
 on was^ 
 ig any 
 r stops 
 th the 
 eliends 
 ng the 
 )roach- 
 
 going 
 
 A YEAR IN TUE WILDERNESS. 
 
 24r 
 
 at liis most rapid pace, which, at the best of times, was 
 of no great shakes, rushed by me, to assist liis com- 
 rade. BulHcd in front and rear, liaving to spring 
 round first to face ono aggressor then another, did its 
 work, and tlie death-stricken creature fell to the earth 
 exhausted. 
 
 The fresh meat was most acceptable, and a jolly 
 feed of tit-bits ensued, the gormandising being kept 
 up by the Indians far on into the wee small hours. 
 The amount of animal food Indians can eat, ancL 
 where they manage to stow it, is really suqjrising.. 
 Even that atom of a Ked-man, Sugar, consumed 
 more than half a dozen Yorkshire ploughman could 
 eat for a wager. The result was as might be expected^ 
 our start on the morrow was not effected till late, 
 and our progress during the remainder of the day 
 was slow and laboured. 
 
 That evening our camp was neither picturesque nor • 
 comfortable, the only thing that could recommend 
 the position being the vicinity of an excellent spring 
 of water. The flies, however, were exceedingly trou- 
 blesome, and the dogs unusually restless. 
 
 About an hour before dawn we had a perfect sere- 
 nade of wolves, bass-voiced, powerful-lunged fellows^ 
 who from their propinquity appeared inclined to ob- 
 ject to our invasion of their demesne. 
 
248 
 
 LONK lifk: 
 
 I ' I 
 
 " Plenty cariboo to-morrow," suid Curiboo. 
 
 "Why?" I inquired. 
 
 "Because wolf plenty; no cariboo, no wolf," ho 
 iinswercd. 
 
 Such was the case, for plenty of deer were seen, 
 8omo still with their antlers in the nios8, others 
 •with its dishevelled shreds han«;iiig to them like 
 pieces of scant black ribbon. Not recpiiring meat I 
 did not attempt :i stalk, but feel convinced I could 
 have successfully done so if desirous. Several wolves 
 were seen during the day, and at such distances to 
 liave probably afforded successful shots, but car- 
 rying a load on one's back sadly demoralises tho 
 shooter. So I let these bloodthirsty scoundrels go 
 their way, trusting that we might meet on a future 
 day when 1 had ceased to be a beast of burden. 
 
 So exposed was our camp that evening that not 
 even the hum of a mosquito was heard, and the heat 
 of the camp-fire was most acceptable. Consequently 
 I enjoyed the best night's rest I had had for weeks. 
 To all appearances we have reached the highest eleva- 
 tion southward of the great river, whicli, judging 
 from what the Indians say, and the compute ' i: ,- 
 tance we have travelled, cannot be over six. or 
 seventy miles off. Nothing but dwarf timber and 
 tangled brush cover these barriers; but attractive 
 
 i lii 
 
A YEAR IN TUE WILDERNESS. 
 
 240 
 
 )lf," ho 
 
 rc seen, 
 otliers 
 }\n 11 ko 
 ; meat I 
 I could 
 1 wolves 
 mces to 
 lut car- 
 ises tlio 
 Ircls go 
 I future 
 n. 
 
 hat not 
 he heat 
 quently 
 : weeks. 
 it eleva- 
 judpln^ 
 ,tc' ' 
 }ixi or 
 3cr and 
 tractive 
 
 as they are now, I can inin^ine them literally a 
 Ijowlin^ wilderness in winter. The first ptarmigan 
 wo have come across I killed to-day; they were so nu- 
 merous that I bagged .•^evon in an hour, and although 
 tempted to continue the slaughter by the most pro- 
 vokingly enticing shots, I de.Histcd. 
 
 (Jarihoo were also still i)leMtiful, several herds being 
 seen in the course of our morning march. During 
 our mid-day halt our guide killed a very largo wolf — 
 not an old effete scoundrel, but in the fullest vigour 
 of life, and his hide, which of course so early in the 
 season had not obtained the long growth of hair 
 ultimately destined to cover it, was almost chestnut, 
 and as soft as the pelt of a beaver. On inquiring 
 the ])articular8 of how he had got within suffici-nit 
 distance to knock his quarry over, he informed me 
 that he had found a dead fawn, only killed a few 
 hours. Knowing that the slayers were not far dis- 
 tant he left the vicinity, but when out of sight made 
 a stalk back to the place up wind, and thus got a 
 shot. 
 
 Made an excellent march this afternoon, and long 
 before sundown came to a long-used but most charm- 
 ing camping ground on the margin of quite a large 
 river. White men have been here lately, for I found 
 a brojivcn clay pipe lying among the wood ashes, the 
 
250 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 edges of the fracture which spht the bowl being so 
 fresh, that the accident to it appeared to liave hap- 
 pened only a few hours. Showing it to Sugar, he 
 immediately exclaimed, *' Voyageur !" and so possibly 
 it was, going to some distant trading ground of the 
 Hudson Bay Company. 
 
 Hi' 
 
A YEAH IN THE WILPERNESS. 
 
 251 
 
 DCing so 
 vo hap- 
 igar, he 
 possibly 
 of the 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 We had scarcely got things in order for the nighty 
 and every prospect existed that we should enjoy un- 
 interrupted rest, than there was a tremendous row 
 among the dogs. Cariboo rushed off through the 
 darkness in the direction of the contest, followed by 
 Sugar. Phlcgmatically I smoked on, for well I knew 
 that, whatever they had got hold of, they were able 
 to master, or ere this I should have heard them sing^ 
 out, so contented myself and gulped down my impa- 
 tience till my escort returned and made a report. 
 Phew ! my goodness ! confound it ! Such a smell 
 once felt is never forgotten — no need the Indians 
 telling me what they have got a hold of. I certainly 
 said, " Confound the skunk," or possibly used a 
 stronger expression, for the whole atmosphere was 
 redolent with the fetid stench; and when I com- 
 menced to think of Skye covered with the beastly 
 
252 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 1.,- 
 
 secretion, cuddling up to my side if the niglit got 
 cold, oh, horrible ! the thought almost made me ill 
 in imagination. 
 
 Presently Indians and dogs returned. To say 
 whether my two or four-footed friends smelt the 
 strongest, would be a difficult matter. This I will 
 say, that the dogs apparently had the most sensitive 
 stomachs, for each got sick, and the Indians 
 did not. 
 
 For many an hour after this episode, I lay and 
 tossed about. Oh, how I wooed Somnus, but he would 
 not be propitiated, although I smoked, smoked, smoked, 
 till I felt convinced forty-eight hours' supply of 
 tobacco had been consumed in a tenth of that time, 
 and the roof of my mouth and upper portion of my 
 tongue were parched as dry as a board, and im- 
 parted a flavour to my palate anything but aromatic. 
 What was I to do ? I had brought half a gallon of 
 spirits with me, only to be used for medicinal purposes. 
 I maturely considered the symptoms. I was an 
 invalid, and no person in their proper senses could 
 doubt it. So I quietly reached for my pack. Of course, 
 I did not wish to be so selfish as to disturb others, 
 and I took what a friend of mine would call a 
 corker ; I did not lay awake long after that dose of 
 medicine. The next morning the camp remained so 
 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 253 
 
 ight got 
 B me ill 
 
 To say 
 nelt the 
 is I will 
 sensitive 
 
 Indians 
 
 lay and 
 le would 
 
 smoked, 
 pply of 
 lat time, 
 n of my 
 and im- 
 romatic. 
 allon of 
 'urposes. 
 was an 
 3s could 
 ■ course, 
 ' others, 
 i call a 
 dose of 
 lined so 
 
 redolent of skunk that I ate skunk, I drank skunk, and 
 I breathed skunk. That fearful fetid, overpowering 
 smell, and the rcpulsiveness of its odour, how can I 
 describe it ? This mishap was likely to interfere sadly 
 with the pleasure of my future movements, for well 
 I knew that it would take weeks to get rid of it, 
 especially from the coats of the dogs, whom I was 
 compelled for their safety ever to have in our en- 
 campment. 
 
 1 cannot understand the perversity of members of 
 the canine race. No amount of whipping will pre- 
 vent them chasing and worrying the porcupine when 
 opportunity offers ; the same with the skunk, although 
 they invariably become deadly sick for some hours 
 afterwards. I acknowledge that the latter animal's 
 cool effrontery is fearfully provoking, and I should 
 imagine trying to the temper of a high couraged dog, 
 for they have the most wonderful amount of assur- 
 ance, walking into camp, or even wigwam, as if the 
 place belonged to them, confident that they have 
 but to open their battery to cause all to flee who are 
 in the vicinity. As far as I am concerned they judge 
 correctly, for 1 would sooner leave them my dinner, I 
 believe even my pipe and tobacco-pouch, and that 
 is saying a good deal, than for an instant dispute 
 with them their right to possession. All the wild 
 
254 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 animals treat them with the greatest courtcsj', or else 
 the creatures woukl be far more wary in their ways, 
 for so indifferent to danger do they trot about the 
 vicinity of their den, that if it were not so, it would 
 require but a short time to extirpate the race. 
 
 Although I had determined to remain in this 
 neighbourhood for some days, it did not prevent 
 our commencing a flitting at an early hour to an- 
 other site recommended by Cariboo, about half a 
 mile down the river. The day, which had a close 
 sultry feeling, promised rain, for the heavens were 
 overcast with the darkest rolling clouds, while the 
 wind soughed among the trees that skirted the 
 river banks. It was a sad day, one of those that 
 affect and depress the spirits, causing forebodings 
 of evil constantly to arise. Our new halting-place 
 was upon a peninsula, almost an island, projecting 
 into a bend of the river, densely wooded on all 
 sides, the centre for about the space of half an acre 
 being perfectly bare, and so devoid of stumps that 
 doubtless many years had passed since the axe had 
 cleared it, for this clearing was evidently artificial. 
 This conclusion I come to from pine being the pre- 
 ponderating gi'owtli of timber left, and pine stumps 
 at the least calculation take a quarter of a century to 
 decay. To this picturesque, retired opening in the 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 255 
 
 , or else 
 ir ways, 
 out the 
 it would 
 
 in this 
 prevent 
 
 to an- 
 
 half a 
 a close 
 IS were 
 lile the 
 cd the 
 se that 
 bodings 
 g-place 
 jecting 
 
 on all 
 n acre 
 )s that 
 xc had 
 tificial. 
 le pre- 
 itumps 
 :ury to 
 
 in the 
 
 primeval forest, quite a history was attached, for 
 Cariboo informed me that here for years, so many 
 years back that the eldest of his tribe ceased to re- 
 member, came the missionaries to tell the Red-man 
 what was good and bad medicine. I inquired from 
 him what missionaries ; evidently he misunderstood 
 my question, but in response picked up a piece of birch- 
 bark, and gazing fixedly upon it pretended to read, 
 all the time declaiming with his hands. But this 
 was not the information required; I wanted to ex- 
 plain to him the difference between the servant of 
 the Church of Rome and Protestantism, and how to 
 do it puzzled me completely. However, the Indian 
 is wonderfully keen in his perception, and with a 
 sudden bright radiation of countenance said, " Two 
 missionary, one got squaw, one no have squaw, and 
 do so," crossing himself in the most orthodox manner ; 
 ^^ the last kind, him come here." This left no doubt 
 on my mind that I stood upon one of those places that 
 the Jesuits used to visit annually to preach the Gospel 
 to the heathen at the time Canada was a possession 
 of France. What an impressive sight it must have 
 been, more than a hundred years ago, when this land 
 supported a comparatively large Indian population, 
 for it was before small-pox had made its decimating 
 inroad among the Red-men, to have seen a venerable 
 
256 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 father, so sincere in the faith he preached, as to 
 travel thousands and thousands of miles to proclaim 
 it to the heathen, holdinf; forth to crowds of painted 
 warlike savages, grouped in astonished, inquiring, 
 picturesque crowds, under the dark shadows of the 
 sombre coniferous trees. When our gallant troops 
 under brave General Woolf were struggling hand 
 to hand and foot to foot with their no less gallant 
 foes on the plains of Abraham, when the noble 
 Mountcalm and his chivalrous and successful anta- 
 gonist were sighing out their life's blood within sight 
 of the citadel of the New World, possibly as great 
 a battle was being fought here, against the supersti- 
 tion and idolatry of the aborigines. The life of 
 the missionary, whatever be his creed, is a hard one, 
 and every honour is due to the sincere man who 
 forsakes home, country, and relatives to perform the 
 task to which he has devoted himself. 
 
 Before noon our camp was made, and the threaten- 
 ing state of the weather induced my attendants to 
 pay more than ordinary attention to its construction. 
 It was well they did so, for about two in the after- 
 noon heavy drops of rain commenced to fall, rapidly 
 increasing in number and violence. The breeze, 
 which for some time had been hushed, in spasmodic 
 gusts now swayed the tree-tops. Suddenly the hea- 
 vens appeared to fall upon the earth, and down de- 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 257 
 
 as to 
 iroclaim 
 painted 
 T[uinng, 
 I of the 
 i troops 
 g hand 
 gallant 
 I noble 
 il anta^ 
 in sight 
 s great 
 iipersti- 
 life of 
 rd one, 
 m who 
 )rm the 
 
 reaten- 
 ants to 
 notion. 
 3 af ter- 
 rapidly 
 breeze, 
 smodic 
 le liea- 
 rvn de- 
 
 scended the torrents and tlio wind tore over the 
 landscaj)e, as if from its previous imprisonment it 
 had gained fresh fury. It was the white-squall of 
 the ocean in its most violent form transferred to- 
 land. As I sought shelter from tlie raging elcmentSy 
 a flash of forked lightning lit nj), then left in almost 
 utter darkness the surrounding objects, followed by 
 thunder so terrifically loud as almost to stun the 
 listener. The sublime grandeur awed me; the Indians 
 hid their heads and remained silent, while the doga 
 cowered away as if imbued with some all-j)owerful 
 fear. At intervals of a few minutes again and again 
 the thunder and lightning contended for mastery, 
 each striving to outdo the other in violence, while the 
 surface of the earth seethed with the impetuous 
 downfall of rain as the surface of a boiling caldron. 
 
 Fortunately my waterproofs were at hand, for 
 nothing in the shape of edifice but such composed of 
 stone or bricks and mortar could keep out such a 
 waterspout. But all things have an end, and storms, 
 like tempers, last in proportion to their violence. 
 
 By six o'clock the clouds had broken and were 
 drifting to leeward before a balmy breeze, and the 
 whole earth emitted a fragrance, as if offering in- 
 cense to the Creator for having prevented its destruc- 
 tion by the warring elements. 
 
 VOL. I. S 
 
258 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 i. 
 
 it 
 
 As soon as tlic mill had ccast'd I i'oiind my ^vay to 
 the cd^o of the rivei*. IJy a deep rapid that rushed 
 into a (hirk placid pool, 1 took a seat upon a led^e of 
 rock. Tiie discoh)uration of the \vater from tlie 
 storm was tritlini;;, and the fisli, hjipj)y ])ossihly in 
 the anticipation of a glut of food heing brought 
 down from the u})per tributaries of the stream, 
 sprang from their li(piid haunts in very wantonness 
 of spirits. 
 
 The temj)tation I could stand no longer, so hastened 
 for jny rod. The time lost in putting it together I even 
 rcn-retted. Atlenijjth it was ready for use, and the first 
 cast hooked a line fish. A second ecpially large was 
 also landed ; but the finest river trout that I have 
 ever previously killed, weighing eleven or twelve 
 pounds, was my third victim. When the sun 
 dipped the horizon, I had such a load as 1 should be 
 sorry to have been compelled to carry to a distant 
 camp. 
 
 A strange peculiarity of the trout of these northern 
 rivers is, that they cease to feed the moment twilight 
 commences. Although possessing much experience 
 of Scotch rivers I do not remember that such is the 
 case ; but I know that on the streams of Long 
 Island and the South of Ireland, in the long calm 
 .iiights of midsummer, I have taken fish in greater 
 
A yi:au in Tin: \vim>i:rni:ss. 
 
 250 
 
 way to 
 , rushed 
 lhI«[;(j of 
 om tlio 
 sihly ill 
 broiili;lit 
 
 stream, 
 itonness 
 
 lastencd 
 
 21' I even 
 
 the iirst 
 
 irn-c was 
 
 I liave 
 
 twelve 
 
 lie sun 
 
 lould be 
 
 distant 
 
 lortherii 
 twilight 
 icrieiicc 
 I is the 
 Loiiq; 
 ig cahn 
 greater 
 
 J 
 
 quantities from suns(>t to break of (lay than In any 
 other portion of the twenty-four hours. Many 
 may disbelieve this statement; for the saki; of prov- 
 ing the truth of what I slate, let the fisherman in 
 June find his way to the Kiver lU'ide, in the eounty of 
 Cork, let him eonnnenee work at Ivathconnaek about 
 ten in the morning, and use throughout the day all the 
 
 skill and knowledge he ])ossesses, and 1 will ])ledge 
 myself that he will kill a greater weight of lish in 
 the first hour after sunset, than he does throughout 
 the time the sun is above the hori/on. AVanderer 
 and sojourner in foreign lands as I have been, still 
 can I not recall a more lovely river to fish than 
 the rapid murmuring Bride of the Green Isle of the 
 ocean. 
 
 The more severe the summer storm, the more 
 invigorating the atmosphere ap})cars after it has 
 passed away ; long and late I sat that night inhaling 
 its fresh balminess. The woods were no longer silent, 
 the depression that for a few nights previously over- 
 powered all animal life Nvas removed, and every 
 rock, log, and tree seemed to find a voice. 
 
 Even the diminutive chain-mouse, that I had not 
 heard since I sojourned on the banks of the distant 
 Saskatchewan, claimed my attention, with its strange 
 metallic note, so strange, indeed, that listening to it 
 
 s2 
 
260 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 §h 
 
 induces wonder liow aught in tlie sliiipc of qujidrupcd, 
 and of so diminutive stature, can produce so unua- 
 tural a call. 
 
 Those that liave been engaged in logging of a 
 sharp frosty morning can remenihcr the click that 
 the ox-chain nuikes as the various links come to- 
 gether ; the note of the chain-nujuse is similar, but 
 possessed of more reverberation although less body of 
 sound. Oft on a stilly night when moose calling I 
 have heard it ; for many a day I wondered what it 
 could be, till by chance I learned the origin of this 
 (juaintest of animal voices. 
 
 Whip-poor-will ! who that has spent an evening 
 in American forest-lands can forget this oft-repeated 
 call. It truly has not the melody of the nightingale, 
 still is soft and pleasant to the ear, although apt to 
 be monotonous. To-night it sounded from the dark 
 woods, evidence that this bird (one of the Caprimid- 
 gidce family), although denied a residence by many 
 authorities so far north, does in summer migrate to 
 higher latitudes than supposed. 
 
 But to bed, to bed, sleepy head, I feel tired and 
 drowsy, so retire. 
 
 Sugar next day was left in camp to take charge 
 of my worldly wealth, while Cariboo with my se- 
 cond gun proposed hunting eastward, I selecting 
 the reverse direction. In my tramp I saw several 
 
A YEAH IN Tin: wilderness. 
 
 261 
 
 rciiuU'or, but as tlicy appeared wild I did not attempt 
 to stalk them. A wolf gave me a fair but long 
 «Iiot — which I missed — my want of skill not by any 
 means inij)roving my tcMnper. Working my way off tho 
 barren grounds towards the river, I got into a dense 
 swamp of hendoc'k and cedar, the mossy carpeting 
 uf the ground through which these evergreens sprung 
 being cut up with innumerable tracks of the change- 
 able liarc. Convinced that these l)eautiful animals 
 abounded around me, still all exertions to obtain 
 a shot failed, although I practised an artifii^c com- 
 mon among the Indians, and which I have often 
 found successful, viz., walking straight in one direc- 
 tion, and indicating by manner that I am per- 
 fectly indifferent to surrounding objects, or that my 
 attention is directed to something on one of the top- 
 most boughs of a distant tree, then turning suddenly 
 round and looking for such animals in your rear 
 who may have imagined they are safe from the 
 «tar-gazing idiot who has gone by. 
 
 But the hares here do not yet appear to be educated 
 up to that standard that would make such trickery 
 succeed. 
 
 At length I gained not the river bank, but ? large 
 extent of overflow caused by beavers. Within a 
 radius of a couple of hundred square yards I counted 
 eight of their dwellings ; and although lately-gnawed 
 
202 
 
 LONK i.iFn : 
 
 wood, niid innuin(M*jil)lo frcsli tracks spoko distinctly 
 of their still iiilialiitiii;:; this sequestered retreat, an 
 hour's jiatient ^\aiting diil not reward luc with a si^ht 
 of the shy architects. 
 
 I could not lielp thinkiiif; wliat wron*^ itnprossions 
 all are liaMe to iuibihe i'nnn hooks and drawin<(s, as 
 I surveyed the residences of these once valnahio 
 rodents; for instead of their houses looking like the 
 inverted bowl of a soup ladle — smooth on the sur- 
 face and re<i,ular in form — they resemble more a very 
 ragged but closely pressed-down brush-heap, hero 
 and there, particularly on the top, most unsystema- 
 tically plastered with large clods of mould. 
 
 The beavers were })aying visits, taking a siesta, or 
 enjoying an early dinner-i)arty, so 1 came forth from 
 my hiding-place, feeling snudl — as every one does 
 who attempts a bit of roguery in which he does not 
 succeed ; so slip[)ing <juietly off, for fear I should be 
 noticed doing so, and jecreel at in consequence, I 
 directed my course towards the river. I had not 
 gone above a yard or two when a blue jay pro- 
 claimed my presence in his usual ironical laughing 
 call. I looked up, saw the scoundrel ; ho was sur- 
 veying me in the ordinary impudent manner of his 
 race ; his eye caught mine, and he laughed again in 
 irony. I try never to lose my temper, in fact, be- 
 
A YKAU IN THE WII.niinNTSS. 
 
 'iO.H 
 
 tiiictly 
 '«'Mt, an 
 
 I'ossions 
 n<^'M, as 
 alii:il)l(> 
 ila; tin* 
 \iv sur- 
 ii vt'iy 
 >, lioro 
 ^stt'iiia- 
 
 cstn, oi* 
 h iVoiii 
 ic (Iocs 
 oc's not 
 
 )lll(l 1)0 
 
 once, I 
 lad not 
 ly pro- 
 ugliing 
 lis sur- 
 of his 
 i^ain in 
 ict, be- 
 
 lieve I lirtvo ii juvtty goo<l control over it; Imt Avotild 
 you bclli'vi' nio I could Imxc sliot that hinl. I was 
 very nearly turning hack tu do it, for ignorant of 
 what a risk ho had nui, wlu-n niv hack was turned ho 
 dorisivolv chattoriMl after nu*. knowiuix dind)tK'ss full 
 well that tlu' joko was all on his siilo. Those hluo jay»t 
 are impudent, saucy scoundrels, and they presume 
 on the knowledge that they are not worth a charge 
 of shot; in fact, likc! a pettifogging attorney who trios 
 to induce you to kick him, hut you doolst, not consi- 
 dering that the momentary pleasure you enjoy in 
 doing so is worth the costs for assault of which you 
 would afterwards probably be nudctod. 
 
 (gaining the water's edge, I was chai'med to see 
 how beautifully the trout wore rising. To me there 
 is an attraetivonoss in followinix the course of a river 
 when fish are on the food, so instead of returning to 
 our oncanipmont by cutting across the barren, I 
 resolved to follow the tortuous stream till 1 reached 
 home. 
 
 Stranger, never be induced to adopt such a course; 
 take my word for it if you do so, you will luive 
 reason 
 
 r recnvi 
 
 my 
 
 have allowed myself to be induced to do so, and. 
 ere I had done so half an hom*, have regretted my 
 decision. To turn back no one liket-, it too mucbi 
 
If! 
 
 ;2G'l 
 
 LONE LIFE 
 
 rcseml.kcs bein^ clofoatcd in sornetliini!; you liavc 
 pledged yoiirselt' to porform, so liojtini; tluit every 
 turn, every bend will disclose fewer iinpediincnts, you 
 push on. 
 
 lint, aliis ! you bo])e in vain ; for tlie same lal)y- 
 rintlis of tan^linl brusli and fallen trees exist, ad 
 infinitNDiy and nine rivers out of ten, straight as tiiey 
 may appear at a cursory irlance, are as crooked as 
 ram's horns. 
 
 To liave a couple of hours' fishini]; before sunset 
 was doubtless the cause of my InuTyinir; how often 
 one calculates without his host the seijucl will show. 
 
 Soon after starting I regretted the step I had 
 taken, for the banks of the stream were choked with 
 •snags, windfalls, and creepers ; onwards I continued 
 struggling in the hope of gaining easier walking, but 
 my expectations were doomed to disappointment. 
 
 A person cannot straddle a log, p;irt bushes, or 
 <;;arry a gun through such ^^bstacles without exposing 
 himself to the flies, and their name was million. Not 
 only did they attack me on the face and hands, but 
 the mosquitoes bit mo through my sleeves and 
 trousers, while the black-flies established a branch 
 tunnel comr.iunicaticn between my collar ai-d my 
 wristbaiidd and ankles. No express-train system 
 did t,I:ey adopt, but made wayside stations every- 
 
A YEAH IS THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 205 
 
 )U luivc 
 it every 
 nts, you 
 
 le hihy- 
 
 xist, ad 
 ) as tiicy 
 oked as 
 
 3 sunset 
 w oftcu 
 1 sliow. 
 
 I had 
 i:ed with 
 )ntiiiucd 
 ing, but 
 ent. 
 
 shes, or 
 exposing 
 n. Not 
 lids, but 
 'es and 
 branch 
 
 aiid my 
 system 
 every- 
 
 
 where, cacli furnished witli a restaurant, my poor 
 body being ihc ham sandwiches, liardd)oiled <'ggs, or 
 anytiiing else they chose to imagine, on whieli to 
 sup. Too hite to turn back, 1 dreaded the advance, 
 but ))rocrastination was not to be tliouglit of, so I 
 pushed forward. 
 
 Such was my ]»h"ght when I perceived a mink on a 
 point of rock ch)sc by. The [)elt was wortli having, 
 so I fired; hut when I readied the phice wlicre it 
 stood, t!ie animid stru!.r<j;Hno; in its deatii throes was 
 nearing the ra])ids and far beyond my reach. Dis- 
 appointed, I resumed my journey. 
 
 To enhu'gc u])on my difficulties any further would 
 be useless. All I liave to say is that it was almost 
 dark before I came in siglit of our camp-fire, and 
 that the cheery welcome that the dogs gave me when 
 I approached it, did much to soften the bitterness of 
 my wounded spirits, and, may I add, wounded body. 
 
26G 
 
 LONE LIFE : 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 A ciiArTEU of accidents, however, had occurrod 
 during my absence ; invariably such is the case when 
 my back is turned. 
 
 Sugar's story I will first tell. About noon he 
 heard Poteen barking on the edge of the river a couple 
 of hundred yards above the camp. • Skye, true to his 
 character, no sooner heard his companion's voice, 
 than regardless of the boy, rushed off' to join ii> what- 
 ever mischief was promised. The lad having every 
 faith in the professions of fr'.endship hourly ex- 
 hibited by his bedfellow, whistled and called upon 
 the truants to come back, till he was exhausted, but all 
 in vain. Dreading my return, and probably a scold- 
 ing for not keeping the dogs tied up, to bring them 
 home he Avent up the river to where both now were 
 fiercely giving tongue. Fortunately he took with him 
 a club, for excep+ing his knife he had no other arms. 
 
 On gaining the spot he immediately learned from 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 207 
 
 the appearance and niann 'r of the dogs tliat they 
 liad brought to bay in the top of a decayed tree some 
 animal that thev were desirous of iicttinc; at, but 
 couhl not reach. 
 
 Examination soon discovered a wihl-cat kitten 
 about three niontlis okl. Indians are never at a loss 
 for expedients, so he made a noose, tied it on the end 
 of a pole, and getting above the creature, slipjjed it 
 over its head ^vhile it was occupied in watching the 
 tactics ('\ its two imgry assailants. 
 
 So far the game was well played — and trium- 
 pl!u,)|]y the lad was preparing to carry home his prize 
 wiifcii he was attacked by the female parent in the 
 most ferocious manner. So sudden was her onslaught, 
 that until the assailant was at his feet she had not 
 been seen ; however, Poteen made a dash at her and 
 gave her a sample of the pattern of liis teeth, but 
 that was all, for as soon as lie discovered the foe was 
 determined to fight, and had received some scratches, 
 he retired, Skye in the mean time coming in for 
 the brunt of the battle. 
 
 An Indian's courage rarely forsakes him ir the 
 most trying ordeal^ so dropping the captive kitten h 
 rushed for the relinquished club, and with it re- 
 newed the fight. This caused the wild-cat to leave 
 Skye, who by this time was pretty nearly used up, 
 

 2C8 
 
 LONE LIFEt 
 
 M\d devote her ciierirles to the boy ; several tunes 
 the agile lad beat her off; but at leugth missing 
 his blow, tlic fiend got inside his reach and fastened 
 on his throat. With characteristic presence of mind 
 Sugar threw himself down, when his sharp-edged 
 knife finished the strufrffle. 
 
 DO 
 
 The reader must not think that the North American 
 wild-cat, lucifcc^, or bay lynx is a contenii)tible foe, 
 far from it, for although its weight seldom exceeds 
 two or three and twenty pounds, it is one of the 
 most ferocious, active, and dangerous animals of the 
 New World. 
 
 Sugar, fortunat'ily, had not suffered as much as 
 his clothes. I believe brin";inff home the kitten and 
 his dead antagonist softened all pains of body that he 
 felt; but Skye was much mauled, one of his eyes 
 being closed, I fear permanently ; even the craven- 
 hearted Poteen had convincing evidence on one leg 
 and along his cheek of how adroitly the foe could 
 handle her teeth and claws. For his mishaps I felt 
 little pity, for if with his superior strength and 
 power of jaw he had assisted the game little terrier, 
 the lad would have been spared, and Skye would 
 have come off with far fewer injuries. 
 
 Now to Cariboo. He shot one of his namesakes and 
 left it, intending to return for the hide and tit-bits 
 on his homeward journey. After being absent three 
 
 ■jiSlHL 
 
A YEAK IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 209 
 
 -edited 
 
 or four hours, on approaching ^vhcre lie had left his 
 game, he found an old she-bear with a couple of 
 cubs in possession. Nothing daunted, he determined 
 to dispute the right of property with mooin, on the 
 ground of prior claims, so advanced under cover 
 within twenty yards of the old lady, who was already 
 busy rending the carcase in pieces. 
 
 The Indian being unaccustomed to the use of a 
 double-gun, in some inexplicable manner discharged 
 one barrel before he had taken aim. This contretempa 
 disclosed the young Indian's ambush, and the old fiend 
 immediately charged. In the hurry of my attendant 
 to fire a second time he got his finger upon the wrong 
 trigger, and of course with no result : at length just 
 as his antagonist was about to spring on him, he 
 pressed the proper one, and believes he wounded the 
 foe ; however, she did not fall, but in the excitement 
 he made his escape and thought himself very fortu- 
 nate in being spared to narrate his adventure. 
 
 This story was told so straightforwardly that I 
 believed it in every detail, more especially as an 
 Indian seldom, I may say never, exaggerates his own 
 performances, and that a double gun is a rara avi3 
 among them, and only cccasio:Tally seen in the pos- 
 session of a chief. 
 
 In spite of skunky smells, the dogs had daily 
 their rrounds well washed in salt and water, and 
 
270 
 
 LONE LIFE 
 
 tlic sores snu'nrcd over witli oil of tar to protect tliein 
 from tlio insects, avIucIi resulted in nil soon tlioron(j;lily 
 rccoverliii;' from their ailineiits. On account of tlu^ 
 cleariii*^ that surrounds it, our camp here, fortu- 
 nately, is not so much troubled witli insect pests as 
 it ^v()uld other\vise be. 
 
 ^fy heart was lar^^e tliat nin;ht; so assuminu!; tlic 
 duties of medico, J pri'scrlbed for eacli uf my two- 
 footed com])anions, as well as myself — for I had suf- 
 fered many a break ami wound in person as well as 
 in spirits — a nii»;hteap. I can vouch it went down 
 the right way, and that their slumbers, jndi^ino- from 
 my own, were sounder in consequence. 
 
 Ne>t mornino; Cariboo and I lield a council c-f 
 war on the expediency of visiting the scene of his 
 disaster of yesterday ; tlic result was that we started 
 afhjr breakfast in the hope of meeting Mrs. Bruin 
 mid her progeny. 
 
 My associate took up the trail of his former track, 
 and at tluit long low pace peculiar to his race, with- 
 out deviation to the right or lo^>, kept it. An Indian 
 when unloaded is a wonderfully rapid walker, and al- 
 though they do no^ appear to be making any exertion, 
 slip over the ground at an amazing gait, so fast, in 
 truth, that it required, and then unsuccessfully, every 
 effort of mine to keep up. However, when I wanted a 
 
A YKAIi IN Till] WILI)i:UNi:.SS. 
 
 271 
 
 few urmutc's' l)roatliin^ tinu', 1 iMv:iri!i1)ly saw some 
 iiiytliical object in tlic distaiu'c that i'L'([uir{'(l coiisi- 
 tloration, ami his oi)inioii on what it wiis. Thus a 
 lialt was ii;aiiKMl, possibly not very rrcMlitahly, hut 
 none tiic loss necessary, for it never does to sliow your 
 weakness, as it niii;lit It'ad to liberties beini^ taken, 
 an<l tiu^ Jved-nian has a blind belief that he is in 
 C'Verylhin<;' immensely int'ei'ior to 1he "white, an im- 
 pression that never should be allowt^l io alter. 
 
 In about iin hour and a half we came to the scene 
 of the contest. The cariboo was nearly all devoured, u 
 circumstance that caused my companion to remark, 
 *' 1 no hit he_, I think." The grass and even bushes 
 around were broken down, and some of the bones 
 had been dragged nniny yards from where tlie deer 
 hud fallen. 
 
 If alone I should have now been compelled to givo 
 np further pursuit ; but the keen eyes of Cariboo 
 soon discovered the trail, which, after he liad followed 
 a short distance, the lad, returning to my side, said, 
 ^ofto voce, " He gone to water — I know — close by." 
 
 To the water I was led ; it was a small pool, the 
 stream that fed it and flowed from it not beinir over 
 a few inches in diameter, and so sunk in the ground 
 that the herbage completely hid its course. 
 
 But at this pool the bears had certainly drank, for 
 
272 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 the herbage was trampled u^x)!!, and so lately lia<l 
 this occurred tli'it some of the stems that had been 
 crushed down were still in the act of regaining their 
 upright position. Again, as to further proceedings, I 
 should have been stunn)ed, but the innato know- 
 ledge that the Indian ])ossesses solved the mystery. 
 
 In rather a brush-grown portion of the barrens 
 about u quarter of a mile distant, piled up to a con- 
 siderable height, lay a number of large boulders. To 
 these the Indian pointed : " Mooin go there to sleep, 
 me think," and forward he stalked towards it. At 
 last gaining its vicinity, we found it such a tangled 
 mass of brush that a dozen instead of three bears 
 might have hid within its closely interlocked masses 
 of vegetation without fear of detection. 
 
 I thought better not to state my suspicion, but leave 
 the affair in the hands of one who was immeasurably 
 my superior in wood-craft. At length we wormed 
 ourselves through the dwarf brush and gained 
 silently the highest point of the rocks. The feat 
 was not easy, still it was silently performed. 
 Having gained this perch, earnestly I gazed into 
 every nook and cranny, but failed to discover the 
 objects of our search, so I sat down and would 
 have commenced to smoke, but my attendant stopped 
 me To humour him more than from any idea that we 
 should find the bears, I returned my tobacco appara- 
 
 iiii 
 
A YKAU IX Tlin WILDE UN ESS. 
 
 273 
 
 ily had 
 ,cl been 
 H their 
 lings, I 
 
 know- 
 itery. 
 barrens 
 ► a con- 
 is. To 
 o sleep, 
 it. At 
 tangled 
 e bears 
 
 masses 
 
 ut leave 
 surably 
 ^vorme^l 
 rrained 
 le feat 
 ormed. 
 2d into 
 ver the 
 would 
 stopped 
 that we 
 appara- 
 
 tus to my pocket, and stretched myself to rest, for 
 keeping up wifli the Indian liad very mucli fatigued 
 me. 
 
 A long liall'-hour I spent thus, when Cariboo 
 nudged my slioulder, and whispered in my ear, " I 
 sec he.'* 
 
 *' Where?" I asked. 
 
 *' There, there ; you look along my gun, tiiere." 
 But blow me if I could. 
 " AVell, you see he ?" 
 
 " No ! I can see nothing but stones and bushes ; 
 you musj: be mistaken." 
 
 " You see that sapling? well, look to the left you 
 sec white stone, and just beyond that close to root of 
 sumach you see bear." 
 
 All this instruction was very lucid, but although 
 I obeyed it to the letter, still my sight refused to 
 gratify me. 
 
 " I never see the like afore, he there," again point- 
 ing his gun ; ^' he sound asleep," said the lad. 
 
 So both of us put fresh cartrlages in our guns, and 
 when ready I desired Cariboo to shoot. Long and 
 careful was the aim he took ; I could hear the pulsa- 
 tion of my heart in my impatience for the report ; at 
 length it came and a roar of pain answered it. That 
 sometjiing was hit, I could see from the struggle among 
 VOL. I. T 
 
274 
 
 LONE LIFK: 
 
 the l)U.slies, and >vIio or what it was wo wcro not lon^ 
 kept ill doubt, for tlio old l)c:ir with u t'ub showtwl 
 licrself for iin instant, then sho entered the cover 
 from whence the s(>nnd of the stricken animal came. 
 It was now obvious that one of the cubs liad «^'ot the 
 contents of the Indian's fj;un. Cariboo \)y this time 
 liad loadeil tlic empty barrel, so 1 told him to watch 
 for a chance and ^ive the other youngster his ([uietus. 
 8oon an opportunity occurred, and the cub fell dead. 
 However, the re})ort of the gun brought his dam to 
 the front ; her head was raised lookin*^ in our direc- 
 tion, but not at us, for she had not yet discovered our 
 position. So I took sight and fired for her breast ; the 
 shot was not a good one, still it brought her to the 
 ground ; but recovering herself she regained her foot- 
 ing and charged upon three legs. As ho by this time 
 had reloaded, I retreated behind the Indian to gain 
 time to shovo a fresh cartridge into my gun. Ten, 
 eight, six yards only severed us from the foe, and I 
 was about to step to the front, when bang, bang went 
 both my companion's barrels, and the old vixen was 
 incapable of doing further misc^ief. 
 
 It was a good and most exciting forenoon's work, 
 and I was more than pleased with my attendant's 
 performance. The old bear was large but lean to 
 an extreme; the cubs, however, were in prime con- 
 
A YHAi: i.v Tirr: wit,pi:rnes.s. 
 
 275 
 
 'ixen >vas 
 
 <litl(»ii, and iiiulcr tlio iiifliKMico (A' their inatcrV 
 t<Mi;rn(. had (Miltivated most hcaiitit'iil irlossv coatis. 
 
 AVc pot hack to cainj) soon aftor mid-day, and I 
 went in foi- an aftei'iioon's fishing, wliirli T most 
 tlioron«ddv cnlovi'd, loi* tlio trout rose frociv, and I 
 was not pcstcMHMl hy small fisli. 
 
 Next moniini;" I crossed tlie river at the oidy |>lacc 
 we conld discover that appeared fordable. The current 
 was so stron;:; that several times I rei^retted liaviniTim- 
 <lertaken my task ; hovever, once started it never 
 wouM do to turn back, for l)oth my atteiuhmts assured 
 me it was impossil)le, and I liad <^iven a deaf ear to 
 tlieir remonstrances. Before enterini^ tlie water, 
 liowever, I had takcMi tlie ])recaution of securin^^ 
 a f^ood stout pole of ei^ht or nine feet in len^h ; 
 but for the assistance it rendered me, I should liave 
 failed; as it was I ^ot wet to the shoulders, wliich 
 did not add to my comfort durini; the tramp that 
 followed. 
 
 Passenwr pigeons I saw in great numT/ci's throuiih- 
 out llie forenoon ; heretofore I was under the im- 
 pression that they did not come so far north. From 
 Audubon's or Wilson's work I doubtless imbibed 
 this idea. 
 
 After pushino; tlirougii some very dense cedar and' 
 licmlock swamp thickly interspersed with wind- 
 
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 23 WEST MAIN STREET 
 
 WEBSTER, NY. 14580 
 
 (716) 872-4503 
 

 
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 276 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
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 falls, I gained a large meadow many hundre' acres 
 in extent, with a considerable sized pond in the 
 centre. 
 
 The surface of the water was dotted over* with 
 a number of different varieties of wild-fowl, the 
 preponderating species being the stately mallard 
 and merganser. The margin of this diminutive lake 
 was so swampy that all attempts to reach it failed. One 
 effort I made nearly cost me dearly, for the crust of 
 the surface which had been swaying up and down, 
 almost rolling like miniature waves, broke under the 
 pressure of my right foot, and but for an amount of 
 activity scarcely to be expected from a person of my 
 figure I would have gone in possibly — ^^^es, and 
 probably over my head. Snipe were here very 
 abundant; doubtless this was a favourite hatching- 
 place — for its solitude and nature exactly suited 
 €uch a purpose. On a dead pine of great height, 
 decayed and in many places barkless, sat a bald- 
 headed eagle, solitary guardian of the demesne. 
 Scarcely could he have chosen a more suitable 
 throne, for from his perch he could see on all sides 
 what was transpiring among the animal kingdom 
 that formed his principal , prey. This bird, em- 
 'blem of the Great Western Republic, is no more 
 ^a favourite of mine than of Benjamin Franklin, 
 
 f w 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 277 
 
 for he is a robber, a coward, and a filthy feeder. 
 Yet it cannot be denied that his appearance is noble 
 and his flight majestic. 
 
 A.Rhough his appetite is so ravenous that scarcely 
 anything comes amiss to his palate, he mucii prefers 
 to kill his own food; and several times during my 
 observation, with swift and powerful pinion he dashed 
 with the velocity of an arrow on to the surface of 
 the water to seize some thoughtless fish which was- 
 basking on the surface. 
 
 To kill marauders such as this some deem praise- 
 worthy, but I found him far too wary to ])crmit me 
 within range, even had I desired to do so, which I 
 did not, for they occupy a useful place in the animal 
 creation. 
 
 After a detour of two or three miles I came upon 
 a lovely little rivulet ; beneath my feet where I 
 struck it was a perpendicular fall of six or seven yards 
 in height, and as I gazed into the rocky recesses of 
 a pool beneath I saw an otter feeding on a trout he 
 had just captured. I got a fair shot at the poacher, 
 but although the distance was short and the animal 
 severely wounded, he managed to struggle into the 
 water. 
 
 Determined, however, to secure the hide, I ran 
 down to a shallow ford below, which could not be 
 
^78 
 
 LONE LIFE : 
 
 passed without tlie animal aflfordinfr me a second sliot. 
 My supposition that ho would make for this, so as to 
 get down the course of the stream, was correct, for 
 scarcely had I gained my stand hefore it appeared. 
 Blood was flowing profusely from the creature's head 
 and shoulders, still he looked as if he had plenty of 
 vitality left to gain a hiding-place, so I gave him the 
 second barrel. In leno;tli from nose to end of tail 
 this trophy must have measured five feet, a size that 
 is ([uite unusual ; his coat was a beautiful dark chest- 
 nut brown, and although the fur was ratlier short, 
 stiil was in excellent order. The vitality of the otter 
 is ([uite remarkable ; with the exception of the wild- 
 cat I doubt if any animal in the American forests 
 require more killing. 
 
 For a long time the Canadian otter was consi- 
 dered identical with the European species, but scien- 
 tific men have now decided otherwise ; for inde- 
 pendent of variation in size and colour, they are 
 •discovered to possess osteological differences. On the 
 Pacific coast of North America there is another 
 recognised distinct species to be found. 
 
 On my route campward I came across a piece of 
 open stony land entirely without trees or brush ; it 
 was covered with the most delicious little wild straw- 
 berries, the only objection being that they were so 
 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDEUNESS. 
 
 279 
 
 small that a person could eat much more rapidly than 
 gather them. 
 
 Got home in good time and found that Cariboo, 
 in my absence, had packed the bear-skins home. 
 He is invaluable on such an excursion, for he is 
 not only an expert hunter, but willing and obliging, 
 and perfectly unassuming. 
 
 In the course of conversation in the evening he in- 
 formed me that tlicre was a bare bluff, some distance 
 down this side of the river, where a white man had 
 been buried. So I started at earlv day to find it. 
 
 Tlie weather was not promising, for the clouds 
 were low, and the wind in its feeling spoke of rain. 
 Altliough making the landscape look sombre, still 
 good resulted in two ways; the heat ceased to be 
 oppressive and the flics troublesome, so right briskly 
 I trudged along, passing in my way the rocky hillock 
 where the bears had been killed the day before. Two 
 families of ptarmigan I disturbed ; the young of one 
 brood were able to fly a considerable distance. From 
 their size I should imagine that they must have been 
 quite two months old — rather an early hatching for 
 this neighbourhood. 
 
 A couple of miles before I reached my destination I 
 felt convinced that I could distinguish the object of 
 mv search, for a mound like a cairn of stones was con- 
 
280 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 ill 
 
 spicuous on the summit of a knoll which slanted at an 
 angle of forty-five degrees towards the river. After 
 half an hour's further trudge I found my surmises 
 were correct. Stones of all portable sizes and of every 
 possible shape had been thrown together, forming a 
 heap eight or nine feet in height ; by its side laid a 
 rude cross, chiselled out of a slab of stone, brought up 
 doubtless from the river bed. I should have liked to 
 replace this emblem of our faith in its original posi- 
 tion, but all my efforts to move it were abortive 
 Where the upright stem was crossed by the horizontal 
 arms some letters were apparent, but all I could 
 decipher were the capitals. 
 
 Is it surprising when I say that I sat here for 
 more than an hour, and conjured up all sorts of 
 visions in respect to its origin ? 
 
 First, I thought it might possibly be a soldier's- 
 grave ; and the muffled note of the drum, the Dead 
 March in Saul, and firing parties, with all the im- 
 pressive ceremonies of such a funeral floated before 
 me; but more mature consideration told me that 
 civilisation had not got sufficiently advanced in this 
 lone land to make that possible. Then I saw, in 
 thought, one who, to preach the Gospel to the hea- 
 then, had expatriated himself from all he held dear, 
 borne up the steep hill brow to be placed in his last^ 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 281 
 
 long resting-place by loving and devoted followers, 
 far, so far from the land of his nativity. Or, again, 
 it occurred to me that this out-of-the-way grave 
 might be occupied by some hardy, energetic servant 
 of the all-powerful Hudson Bay Company, who had 
 succumbed under the privation inseparable from their 
 exposed life ; but the cross — why the cross ? From 
 it I was pleased to think that here reposed the mortal 
 remains of one of its servants. 
 
282 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 CIIAPTER XIX. 
 
 Closeu and closer to earth came the ch)ucls ; a 
 <h*op or two of rain called me from the realms of 
 fancy, and hurriedly I started homewards. Aly step 
 had not the energy of the morning, my spirits had 
 lost their buoyancy ; and, unmindful of scenery, I 
 trudged slowly homewards. AVhat a burlesque was the 
 place I was going to on the name. With each mile the 
 rain increased, and the distant surroundings became 
 less distinct, while from behind and to the eastward, a 
 thick mist seemed bent on overtaking me. Soon it 
 succeeded, and although not possessed of that amount 
 of impenetrability peculiar to fogs in London or on the 
 banks of Newfoundland, still it closed the horizon of 
 my vision so effectually that all beyond a hundred 
 yards was an unknown world, and with the fog the 
 rain descended faster, not the large reckless drops of 
 
A YEAR IN THE WILDEUNESS. 
 
 283 
 
 tlic thunderstorm, but minute particles so numerous 
 that they speedily penetrated through the thickest 
 parts of my clothin*:;. Onward I tramped, confident 
 in my power to regain camp ; one, two, three hours 
 passed, and at lcn<Ttli it commenced to dawn upon 
 me that I was lost. Till the darkness of nii^ht com- 
 menced to settle over the <^loomy landsca[)e I strug- 
 gled hard not to admit the fact. Unwilling as I was 
 to acknowledge that my skill in woodcraft was so de- 
 ficient as to place me in such a position, yet much 
 as I disliked it I could no longer disguise from my- 
 self the fact that I was lost. 
 
 If I had been in the timber-lands such a contre' 
 temps would not have been so serious, for soon I 
 could have built a shelter and made a resting-place 
 of birch or hemlock boughs ; but out on the barrens, 
 with scarcely a bush upon it larger than a dwarf 
 ornamental shrub, it was a serious affair. 
 
 Knowing full well that I must now remain absent 
 from the camp all night, I made a virtue of necessity 
 out of my position, so sought and soon found a rock 
 of sufficient elevation to shelter me from the drift. 
 
 Constant exertion for half an hour rewarded me 
 with a few good armful? of rotten but wet sticks, out 
 of which to make a fire, but long and tedious were 
 my efforts to coax theiu to burn. Through the 
 
284 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 assistance of my ^un I obtained sparks which I 
 nursed into sickly blazes, again and a^ain to go 
 out wlien applied to the damp wood. But each 
 short-lived flume had not been without benefit, for 
 their repeated application had dried the lower por- 
 tions of the boughs, till an ultimate effort succeeded 
 in forming the nucleus of a fire. 
 
 Before this amount of success had rewarded my 
 efforts, I feared to leave the place I had selected to 
 remain in, lest I should be unable to refind it. Now 
 I liad it for a beacon, so I became confident, and 
 wandered olF in each direction till I had collected an 
 ample supply of sticks to keep up a good fire through 
 the long hours of night, for independent of it afford- 
 ing warmth, the society of a ruddy blaze almost 
 makes up for the want of companions. 
 
 Argue as I would with myself that thousands were 
 more uncomfortable, that I was rather to be envied 
 than otherwise, I could not close my eyes, and the 
 wolves, wild-cats, and Canadian owls seemed to 
 contend with each other which could produce the 
 most weird-like sounds. 
 
 Just before break of day this concert reopened, for 
 it had flagged a little after midnight, and the exertions 
 of each contestant seemed to be redoubled. 
 
 Never did storm-tossed mariner wish for land, never 
 
A YEAR IX Tirn wir.nnnKEss. 
 
 285 
 
 vlid patient cnivf for the ni^lit to pass, mow than T 
 longed for break of clay. At len^tli a pi'rceptiblo 
 light on tlic eastern liorlzon, which rose gradually 
 and slowly towards the zenith as I gazed upon it, in- 
 fonned me that my longing was about to be gratified. 
 And if I had wanted no other indication of tho 
 dawn, I might have known it was at hand, for tho 
 nocturnal animals had one by one ceased to grieve 
 that the hours of darkness were over. 
 
 With the rise of the sun the fog disappeared, and 
 the rain ceased. Little observation of the surround- 
 ing objects disclosed my position. I was within 
 three iiundred yards of where the bears had been 
 shot, thus accounting for the unusual gathering of 
 flesh-feeders, who had doubtless been attracted to tho 
 locality by the carrion. 
 
 Hurriedly I pushed for camp, not to surprise its 
 inmates asleep, as I expected, but to find both sitting 
 up after having passed a most anxious night. My 
 appearance startled them ; in a moment they sprung 
 to their feet and rushed to my side. Sugar took my 
 hand and kissed it without saying a word. At this I 
 was not surprised, for lie had been long with me, and 
 before entering my service he had never known kind- 
 ness ; but when a few moments afterwards Cariboo, 
 looking sheepish and awkward, did the same, I felt 
 
28G 
 
 LONH LIFK : 
 
 H 
 
 T was not witliout true friondM, far, far ns T was from 
 civilisation. 
 
 My ahscnrc, I Icarni'd, had caused l)()tli <^reat 
 alarm, and that instead of cowering over the camp- 
 fire, or enjoying the shelter that our teujponiry rest- 
 ing-i)lace afforded, they had heen looking for me 
 in every direction imagination told them I might 
 have taken. How fatiguing and earnest had been 
 their search, their haggard features and exhausted 
 expression cvmfirmed. 
 
 Treat an Indian kindly, make allowance for his 
 defalcations, reprove him when lie does wrong, but 
 do so more in sorrow than anger, and if he is iu)t a 
 drunkard, or under the influence of ardent spirits, a 
 more faithful, loving servitor, the world cannot 
 produce. A white man who practices bear and for- 
 bear, they learn almost to idolise, for their predis- 
 position is to look up to him as a superior being. 
 
 I have not the slightest doubt that these j)rimitive 
 children of nature would have at any moment risked 
 their lives to save mine ; whether I was struggling 
 in the surging abyss of the swiftest rapid, or in the 
 embrace of the fiercest bear ; therefore, is it a wonder 
 that wherever the missionary has gained a hearing 
 among them his influence has become dominant, 
 unless the sordid gain-loving trader encroached 
 upon his flock, and demoralised them with the soul- 
 
A vi:au in tub wilduuness. 
 
 287 
 
 debusing stapK' of their tr:ulo, urclcnt spirits, uiul 
 with it altering the triistin<^, conluliii*:? ah(»ri«^inos into 
 veritable fiends 'i 
 
 Ahhou^li the sun was now lii;^h in the heavens, I 
 eraved for rest, so as soon as breakfast was diseussed 
 I turned in, giving permission to Sugar to aceompany 
 his companion wherever they cliose to go, 1 promising 
 to take care of cam[> in their absence. 
 
 Never did 1 sleep more soundly, but my rest was 
 troubled with a thousand strange dreams, so that 
 when I awoke I was as unrefreshed as when I lay 
 down. 
 
 My head throbbed, my pulse rapidly beat, my skin 
 felt hot, and a sensation of unaccountable languor had 
 taken possession of my limbs. 
 
 Convinced that I was going to be ill, I yet strug- 
 gled against it with all the determination I could 
 command. Even the dogs, who had sufficiently re- 
 covered to be permitted to run at large, seemed to be 
 aware that something was wrong and to regard me 
 with more than ordinary affection, exchanging their 
 inclinations to roam about for a desire to sit by my 
 side. 
 
 At length evening came, and with it returned the 
 lads. I welcomed them in the cheeriest manner I 
 could, or at least made an effort to do so ; but their 
 keen eyes soon told them that I was unwell. 
 
288 
 
 LONE LIFE 
 
 Thorouglily prostiatcd I retired to my couch, and two 
 weeks passed before I was able to sit up or recognise 
 my faithful watchers. That period is a dream to 
 me, but how trying must it have been to my atten- 
 dants. 
 
 July 12th. — About noon my unconsciousness 
 passed away, and my mind's wanderings assumed a 
 rational form. Cariboo entered the shed of boughs 
 in which I reposed; it had been rethatched and 
 strengthened, the better to shelter me. As he gazed 
 upon my face, every lineament of his features denoting 
 the most serious alarm, I spoke. " Thanks, Cariboo," 
 were the words I said. In a moment he knelt by my 
 side, and with a woman's softness took both my hands 
 in his. No tear suffused his eye ; but without it 
 he looked the perfect ideal of gratitude. After a 
 pause he raised his voice, and Sugar joined him in an 
 instant. 
 
 The lad's features when I addressed him beamed 
 with joy ; silently he came close to me. Exerting my 
 strength I patted him on the cheek, and the poor 
 child clasped my hand and burst into a perfect tor- 
 rent of tears. 
 
 Struggling to recover himself, with an effort he 
 regained sufficient composure to speak. 
 
 " Capen, I thought you on the way to meet the 
 Great Manitoo. Suppose he have taken you, I no 
 
A YEAU IN TUE WILDEUNESS. 
 
 289 
 
 wisli to stay Ijeliind ; because I too bad to ^o, ho leave 
 voii with Hie a little time moiv." 
 
 Until I became convalescent the attention of these 
 two untutored sons of the forest was perfectly 
 touchinnr. They never for a moment left me alone, 
 and their instincts seemed to teach them to anticipate 
 my slightest wisii. 1 liad but to move my hand, 
 when, wliiclicver was near would be at my side ; nor 
 did niii;ht, that period of rest, seem one iota to lessen 
 their vigilance. Generally each day Cariboo went to 
 hunt; and instead of confining himself to large game 
 or fur-bearing aninuds, a squirrel or two, a grouse, 
 or some wild-duck, ho also killed, as he knew my 
 appetite, which had become most fastidious, pre- 
 ferred them. Moreover the meat tea, more pro- 
 ]}erly soup from its thickness, never was permitted 
 to get cold, or the sui)))ly run low, in fact, to this 
 valuable stimulant I credit my rapid recovery of 
 strenij-th. 
 
 True, it was too strong to take large quantities of, 
 but that did not prevent me applying to it Ire- 
 (juently And such beautiful trout, brought to the 
 camj) alive, were prepared for me with an attention 
 and cleanliness that would have tempted the most 
 fastidious palate. 
 
 The mode of cooking them by the lads is well 
 
 VOL. I. 11 
 
290 
 
 LONi: LIFE: 
 
 worth mention, for it is deservin*^ of bein^ fol- 
 lowed in a civilised household. With the aid of a 
 huntin<T knife and axe they had rivei\out a rather 
 loni;' shini^le. On this the fish, havin<5 been sj)lit 
 oj)en down the back and the vertebrae removed, the 
 whole carefully washed and all particles of blood 
 removed, was pinned flat with small wooden pegs. 
 It was then placed in front of a clear wood-ash fire, 
 a piece , of deer fat being attached over whichever 
 happened to be the upper end, so that the grease 
 might drip over the trout, and saturate it ; less than 
 ten minutes sufficed, if the lire was good, for the 
 morceau to be thorougldy ready for consumption, and 
 the flavour was perfect. 
 
 Another delicacy I enjoyed through tlie fore- 
 thought of the lads, was large quantities of whortle- 
 berries, blueberries, and raspberries. At this season 
 of the A'ear the two former are found abundant on the 
 edge of the swamps, the latter on the barrens. Half 
 an hour each day was devoted to their collection, 
 a little basket of birch bark lined with leaves, and 
 filled with these wild fruit, invariably being found by 
 me at my bedside if I slept longer than usual in the 
 morning. And oh how refreshing they were to my 
 parched mouth and throat I Lonely I doubtlessly 
 felt, but still could not help thinking how much 
 
A YEAV, TN TITE WTLDEHNEFiS. 
 
 'iOl 
 
 bettor I was situated than I could possIl)ly liavo 
 expected under the circumstances. The ilies, too, 
 had disappeared, a blessing for which it would be 
 impossible for me to be sufficiently grateful, as in ni y 
 weak state I was powerless to resist them. 
 
 Of an afternoon before the atmosphere got chilly, 
 I would take a seat outside the camji, for the breeze 
 playing on my tem])les always fivshvnod me up. 
 The flights of wild-ducks passing up or down the 
 stream, the noisy, garrulous kingfishers and blue 
 jays, in this land so like each oilier, quarrelling imd 
 squabbling for no conceivable cause, and the wood- 
 peckers' indefatigable tap, tap, tapping on hollow limb, 
 or blithely running round the trunk, to take un.awares 
 any prey that thought by such a movement of 
 finesse to escape, ever afforded me amusement, antl 
 caused time to flit by on rapid wing. 
 
 I had felt sufficiently strong one evening to reach 
 tlie river. Some Canadian crows, more resemblino- 
 the raven than our I'ook, caw ! caw ! caw I passed 
 overhead, as they winged their way to their roosting 
 place. In itself such a sight might be regarded as a 
 trifle, still it had the effect of recalling a hundred 
 sunny memories of distant home and happy days. 
 
 Cariboo returned that evening with no greater 
 reward for a long day's wo^k tlian a porcupine, a 
 
292 
 
 LONE LIFr : 
 
 most accci»tiil)lo addition to tlio lnnk'r; Imt tlie lad 
 was not satisfied, and blamed himself for not liavini^- 
 reaped a better reward, for he had seen plenty of 
 deer and two bears. To his want of snceess reo;jird- 
 iiiLi- the first, he attribnted the blame to the wolves, 
 
 wliom, Jie sai( 
 
 h 
 
 d, '' ^^'ere altogether gettinii; too ])lenty, 
 so keep ehasing cariboo all day, and most ])art of the 
 niiiht." If this is the case it is an indication that tlu» 
 iiame is retnrniiiijj sonth. 
 
 Ilaviiio; much improved in health, I have resolved 
 that if all goes well In the interim we shall lea^■e 
 here in two days, and wlien I state my determina- 
 tion, smiles and a])i)roval meet it from my followers. 
 Although true that both my attendants have lately 
 had an easy time, still while I was sick both seemed 
 to labour under great depression of spirits, and they, 
 with the superstition peculiar to their race, doubtless 
 associate this place -with that misfortune, so long to 
 remove to new scenes. 
 
 Skye affords me many a laugh. At the root of a 
 stump close by my favourite seat on the river side, a 
 chipmunk or gromul squirrel has its nest ; for want 
 of larger game the dog devotes itself to the capture 
 of tliis pretty little creature ; but for cunning and 
 impudence he is more than matched. If driven 
 into its hole, as soon as the pursuer retires it will 
 
A YKATl IN TTTF- WILDmNKSS. 
 
 203 
 
 coinu forth, <^ct on the top of a stump, aiul chatter 
 to attract liis attention, tlien conies a char<:je, resnlt- 
 ini:; in SL-ye's hein^; too hite. This is rejieated several 
 times, and always \vitli tlu' same termination. At 
 lenii'tli tlie doix resorts to straterjv, and wts l)i'lniid 
 the stump \vatcln'ni:!; tlie hole, but no ehipnnndv 
 comes forth, the little rof^ue knows too nnicli for that. 
 Tired with watching, my little four-footed friend 
 returns to my side, in a few moments his tormentor 
 is acain out chatterinri at him derisively. Sunset 
 promises a fine day on the morrow; if such occurs, 
 wc commence our journey southwards. 
 
 While paekiiin; np our varicms effects ready for 
 an early start, Antoine's name hai)pened to bo 
 mentioned, -when Cai'iboo pricked up his ears and 
 with much earnestness in his face, said, " Antoino 
 bad white man, remember me tell you so. Cap." This 
 was the second time I had received gratuitous infor- 
 mation on this subject, and on each occasion from 
 persons that could not have any possible advantage 
 to gain by maligning him. 
 
 I cannot say that T had ever taken a great liking 
 to this half-breed Frenchman, and I had fre([nently 
 regarded him "with eyes of suspicion, when he has 
 narrated with chucklincr satisfaction how he had 
 cheated a family of Indians out of their 'fall or 
 
204 
 
 LONE LIFE: 
 
 summer hunt collection of furs, or how ho had dis- 
 covered where their cache or storehouse was secreted, 
 and pillaged it when the proprietors' backs were 
 turned. Of course a man who would do such dis- 
 honest things to one class would to another, although 
 ho would say if he thought I did not enter into his 
 feelings in the affaii', " Kemembcr, Cap, they only 
 Indian." 
 
 However, I was commencing to think, from 
 liis continued absence, that the confidence I had 
 placed in him was about to be abused, and that 
 1 should never again see the stores I had supplied 
 him or their value, although at the time they 
 were exchanged from my guardianship to his, ho 
 took oaths by every saint in the calendf./, used a 
 whole spelling-book of " sacres" that nothing would 
 make him break his word. Nevertheless, it is most 
 unfair to condemn a man without a hearing, and acci- 
 dent or illness may have detained him at some distant 
 hunting-post, possibly he even might be dead. Un- 
 friendly Red-skins, too, might have crossed his path, 
 swollen rivers washed him away, dead limbs fallen 
 upon him in the deep recess of the forest, or that 
 fearful gun of his, the most antiquated rattletrap 
 piece of firearms I had almost ever seen, which he in- 
 variably fed with a double load, have blown his carcase 
 
A Y1:AU in TUC NVILDJjUNKSS, 
 
 295 
 
 into the four points of tho wind. No, I will suspend 
 my judgment for another month ; and then, if I hear 
 nothing, give him the benefit of the doubt that one of 
 the above chapter of accidents has overtaken In'm. 
 
 Althougli I had so long been an invalid during 
 our stay at our half-island encampment, I did not 
 turn my back to it without feelings of regret. Every 
 stump, every rock, every bush, every tree had be- 
 come familiar, and was associated with some little 
 episode or other : under the one a chipmunk, the 
 pretty little tamia of America, had its storeroom ; 
 under the next was an earth that looked much as if 
 an otter occasionally resorted to its deep intricacies 
 for rest or safety ; in the buncli of witch-hazel I liad 
 secreted myself to get a shot at teal on their way to 
 and from their feeding-place, and it was the favourite 
 shelter for a hermit thrush, who often continued his 
 charming modulated song long after midnight ; and 
 as to the summits of tlie taller trees, was there one 
 of them on which I had not observed the charming 
 cedar-bird, sole American representative of the 
 European waxwing ? Yes, at this season of the year 
 it was a charming resting-place for poet or painter, 
 one that possessed so many attractions that verses 
 must have flown in abundance from the brain of the 
 former and the hand of the latter be induced to rival 
 
2or. 
 
 LONK LU'K : 
 
 iKitiuv ill licr bcuutiMjus sliiulus and lights. It was all 
 I say at this season, but what would it rusuniblc in 
 winter, when deep snows covered the earth, when ice 
 loaded down the water, and the powerful frost-laden 
 north wind screcchetl throu<rh tlie valley, and shook 
 tlie giant timbers in its boisterous grasp — when ail 
 the landscape that surrounded it was a howling wil- 
 derness'/ Well, such was the change that would 
 come ovfu' it in the space of a few short months. 
 
 " Well, my lads, are you ready ; got everything, 
 forgotten nothinc;?" were the words 1 addressed to 
 my attendants as they stood by me ready for the 
 start. 
 
 " Yes, Cap, everything." 
 
 " Well, off you go." And shouldering their packs, 
 which were far from small, away they started, light 
 in heart, and with that long] panther-like stride that 
 steals them so rapidly over the ground. I lingered 
 among the dcbrw, scattered over the hemlock boughs, 
 threw down the camp-poles, and took a last glance 
 around to see that nothing had been forgotten, then 
 tiu'ued slowly to follow the course of my attendants, 
 little Skye trotting close to my heels ; faithful little 
 fellow, how different was he from Poteen, who, as 
 was his custom, preferred the society of the Indians. 
 The only way I could account for this evidence of 
 
A YEAU IN Tiir. wii,Di:nNi:ss. 
 
 297 
 
 bad tasto was tliat lie was a Iialf-l)n'(l l)riiti», with 
 inoi'u of tlie father's than the motlu'r's instincts. 
 
 Our niarc'lies were not to Ik; hnrricMl, for we had 
 plenty of time, and I was still far from sufHciently 
 stron«f to endure niucli fati<:^u(.»^ still I carried a pack 
 — it was certainly a small one — hut for the sake of 
 example I thou<^ht it better not to spare myself, 
 althouixli both lads stroniflv protested a<rainst my 
 doini!; so and beirijed me hard to have its contents 
 ilivided amongst them. That day's tramp it did feel 
 heavy, and the strap with which it was suj)ported 
 across my shoulders, in whatever position I placed it, 
 kept incessantly i^allinn; my collar-bones. Sheer de- 
 termination alone enabled me to hold out; but when 
 we came to our evening halt, not over eight miles 
 from where had been our late home, I was com- 
 pletely done up. The boys had seen several cariboo 
 durino; the day, and were several minutes within shot 
 of a splendid buck, which by description was as largo 
 as a moose ; of course, this was a stretch of imagina- 
 tion, but it doubtless was a very fine animal, as these 
 timber reindeer, in contradistinction to those of the 
 far north distant barrens, sometimes exceed five hun- 
 dred pounds in weight. 
 
 Some fresh trout procured by Sugar, the renmants 
 of a grouse, ptarmigan, and squirrel chowder re- 
 
 VOL. I. X 
 
 •9 
 
2!IH 
 
 LONi: LIFE : 
 
 '^^H : 
 
 wjirimvl, foniKMl my supjuT, and so n-fivslu'il did I 
 ft'i'l siftLT my apjH'tite was satisfied, that I trlt coii- 
 viiic(.'(l I siiould iiiiicIj iiMMV satisfactorily iicrfi-nn my 
 trainj) on the morrow. 
 
 Tilt' morirm«^ was fiiK' hut hazy, and as no wiMV 
 nl)oiit to siioiddcr our loads the hoy |)ointin<i; throu;;h 
 till- mist \vhis)»i'ri'd, "There, Cap, you see over that roek 
 carilioo." In a moment after I discovered them ; from 
 their feeding- as tliey walked forward, 1 fi'lt con- 
 vinced they were unaware of our proximity. Anx- 
 ious to please tlie lad, and to <!;ive him an oppor- 
 timitv of exhihitin;; liis skill, I offered him inv 
 ^ui), and told liim to let me see if he was a good 
 hunter. Takinjr tlie weapon from my hand in an 
 instiMit he was out of sight; 1 believe his celerity 
 of movement was induced for fear I should chanjre 
 my mind. Seizing Poteen by the ear to ja'event his 
 following the boy, and i)ossibly marring his shot, the 
 other Indian with myself availed ourselves of the 
 slielter ])roduced by the back of a boulder, the better 
 to see the stalk and its result. A quarter of an hour 
 might have elapsed when a puff of smoke caught my 
 eye. Instantly following the direction it indicated, 
 I perceived one of the deer ineffectually struggling to 
 follow its comrades who were now fleeing across the 
 barren in Indian file, at their customary sharj) trot- 
 
A vi:au in Tin: wii.dduness. 
 
 2'.)9 
 
 I .li.l I 
 ■It coii- 
 d-m my 
 
 throu<j;li 
 liiit rock 
 11 ; from 
 L'lt con- 
 , Anx- 
 I oppor- 
 liim my 
 ;i good 
 (I in an 
 celerity 
 cliange 
 vent his 
 lot, the 
 of tlie 
 better 
 an hour 
 Light my 
 idicated, 
 Tivlinrr to 
 :ross the 
 irj) trot- 
 
 le 
 
 tinjx i^ait. " Whv don't tlie l»rat pnt iii the second 
 barrel ?" I began to wonder, whi>n thi' earll)oo gave 
 evid(Mice of falling, bnt before it liad (piite lost its 
 limbs tlie boy overtook it, and liis knife did tlic rest of 
 tlie work. It was a clever stalk, a gooil shot, and 
 the finale was thorongldy workman-like, and when 1 
 told the lad what 1 thonght of his perl'ormanee he 
 looked an inch taller at least, and as proud as a pea- 
 cock witii two tails. 
 
 Having examined a great number of cariboo horns 
 from different ])arts of the American continent, the 
 formation of the antlers of those that 1 or my fol- 
 lowers have killed are almost identical with such as 
 iiave l)een brought from Labrador, loftier, thinner, 
 wider spread, with the palmation more confined to 
 the toi)s than such as I have seen from the island 
 of Newfoundland — the brow antlers ai^ain beiim 
 larger and more j)romincnt than those of the last- 
 mentioned. 
 
 The flies having entirely disajipeared from the 
 barren grounds, it is Cariboo's o})inion that the reason 
 m«re deer arc seen on our homeward route, is because 
 migration to the south has commenced, and that we 
 have now come in contact with the advance guard. 
 AVhen conversing on the habits of this animal I find 
 mv Indian does not coincide in that most current 
 
aoo 
 
 LUNE LIFK. 
 
 belief tlmt tlie |)aliiuited antler was inteiide<l l>y tliu 
 Creator for eleariii^ away the snow to enal»le \tn 
 owner to ol)tain food in winter; for \nt says, "I 
 never see him do mo bnt with iiis foot, and 1 know 
 cariboo most as well as my own people." This is no 
 exaggeration, the Ameriean abori«;ines uncontanii- 
 nated by frequent intercourse with white men, know 
 the habits of the wild animals as well as they do the 
 features of the members of their tribe. 
 
 END OP VOL. I. 
 
 • »' 
 
 &. 
 
 2^4 * '20'q* 
 
 LONDON 
 C. WHITING. BKAUFORT IIOCSE, DUKH STREET, LINCOLN'S-INN-PIELDH. 
 
 ^/ 
 
Uy till) 
 al)lo it8 
 ,1) .s, « 1 
 1 know 
 m is no 
 oiituini- 
 II, know 
 
 do the 
 
 IHLDS. 
 
 ^/